The Ruranain Chronicles: The Will of Fire
by The Sand Alchemist
Summary: The sequel to The Ruranain Chronicles: The Sage and The Juubi. With a new evil arising will the Will fo Fire be enough to help Akina and her friends to save the world once more? Gaara x Oc
1. Prologue

**NOTE! BEFORE YOU READ THIS READ THE FIRST STORY FIRST! OR GAARA WILL ATTACK YOU! ...Don't doubt him..._he will_**

**Gaara: What she said. *sand flows out fo gourd***

**Kitkat: Told you...**

Prologue

Four years have passed since the defeat of Madara, Akatsuki and the Juubi at Akina's hands. Life has become peaceful in the four hidden villages.

But…

Mysterious sightings of giant beasts at night have begun to be reported, random deaths of shinobi have been reported along with these mysterious sightings.

Has the Akatsuki returned?

Or…is it a new evil?

As the mysteries surrounding the beasts are uncovered so are the hidden truths about the Rikudo Sage…

With war on the brink as mysteries are revealed will the Will of Fire be enough to stop it?

Or will Akina be able to save everyone once again?

...But at what expense will she have to pay this time to save the ones she loves?

Bonds will be tested. Love will deepen. Lives will be lost.

Evil…will take on a new strength...but will it conquer?

Find out as Akina steps up once more, along with her friends, to save the world.

_The sequel to The Ruranain Chronicles: The Sage and the Juubi…_

_**Welcome to… **_

_**The Ruranain Chronicles: The Will fo Fire**__**

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**_

As promised here is the sequel to The Sage and The Juubi! I know the prolouge is short but hey...I can't give evryhting away can I?

Enjoy and review.


	2. To Wish Upon A Shooting Star

A little update! I'm going to be updating once a week...maybe wednesday or thrusday! So keep a look out for this story then!

Chapter 1

**4 years later**

A slender figure trotted down the darkened streets of Kumogakure the Village Hidden in the Clouds. The crisp wind that flowed through the mountains area blew softly against her skin as, from roof top to roof top, she made her way to the Tower. The moon illuminated her figure as she paused hesitantly on the rock in front of Kage's tower. Her silhouette cast a shadow over the street, her lengthened hair now blowing out words. One could mistake her for an angel, perhaps the legendary Rikudo Sage. Of course that was all just legend…or one could say that…

Without another hesitation she made her way into the Tower, through the hidden window, under the circular symbol the reflected the symbol for "cloud" in the moon light.

The young woman crawled through the window, landing behind the secretarial desk. She sighed as she sat down, looking at the paperwork to be done for the next few hours.

"Four years ago I saved the world…now I'm sitting behind a desk as a freaking secretary." She mumbled, switching on the light. "I've come far…"

"Someone seems happy today…what the hell are you doing up at four in the morning?" A voice asked from the darkness of the not yet lit hall.

The young woman raised her brow at the man in front of her, a Jonin named Darui. With his appearance as a laid back kind of guy one would be mislead about his skills…for he is the right hand man of A the fourth Raikage.

"Really?" She asked, pointing to the overly large pile of papers, her voice slightly high from annoyance. "Are you that blind as to how freaking huge this pile is? It's a monstrosity!"

"Kin it's only paper work." He mumbled. "And keep your voice down. All that yelling is making my day dull and annoying..."

"Oh I'll give you annoying!" She raised her fists at him.

Darui held his hands up in mock defeat.

"Jeez what are you on your period or something Akina?"

Ever heard that when you ask a woman that when she's yelling that you die? Yeah…enough said.

Darui stared in confusion as she calmly strolled over to him. He sensed nothing from her…that was until he was sent through the wall into the Raikage's office. A large human shape hole remained as she made her way back to her desk. She sat down, pulling out her first paper, ignoring the groan of pain that came from the hole in the wall.

A typical morning in the Raikage's tower…

**Some hours later, around six in the morning. **

The Raikage grumbled as he made his way into the office. Already cursing the paper work he knew was waiting for him. Walking past the office shinobi he stopped at Akina's desk, where she calmly organized paper work.

"Good morning…" She said calmly, not looking up. All the paper work had been completed, being that it was in the to go out bin. Raikage grunted as he made his way to his office. Akina smirked.

3….2….1…

"HARUKA! GET. IN. HERE." She heard him bellow. Akina walked calmly into his office, purposely through the hole and smiled as Raikage pointed with an eye brow raised, at Darui, who last unconscious on the couch.

"Why?" Was all he asked. Akina shrugged.

"He just pissed me off…" She said and turned around, walking out through the hole with a smug smirk on her face.

"You realize that you'll be here fixing my wall tonight! And you get all MY paper work too for the rest of the day! And you'll have Darui on your ass all day too!" She heard him yell to her.

"Sir yes sir." She mumbled, sitting down at her desk.

The last four years for Akina had been pure hell. The first few months Akina felt like she would be happier in hell. She still remembered it so well…

_Akina walked with the Anbu and team from the rescue mission next to her, the Anbu keeping a close eye on her. She saw the village gates up ahead and already she knew this was going to be suckish. She felt so stupid for making that decision to sign that contract…but in her mind she wondered if she could have accomplished what she did without Mirai or Toshiro. _

_As she walked towards the tower she felt the villagers eyes trained on her. Eyes of fear for no doubt the word spread of her arrival. She already knew they feared her for things they could not understand. What they didn't know was she saved their asses. _

_She heard murmurs form the shinobi escorting her, saying things that made her look like it was her fault that Toshiro died and that Mirai died. It infuriated her that they went on to say that Mirai deserved it. They didn't know anything! They were blind men trying to see what they could never comprehend. _

"_Haruka, please remove any weapons you have on you…" One of the Anbu said. Akina hesitated before handing in her scrolls, kunai and shuriken pouches. The Anbu still stared at her, as if waiting for something. Akina knew they were probably informed about the scythe, but she wasn't sure if she could summon it…better left having them think she couldn't. _

"_I'm unable to summon what you think I can…after all I no longer hold my Sage…" _

_The Anbu nodded, but put chakra restraints on her anyway. _

"_Not trusting me huh?"_

_The Anbu did not answer, but instead pushed her forcibly forward into the Tower. She followed obediently into the Raikage's office, where the strongly built man stared with a smug grin on his face. _

"_It seems I sent my Anbu at the right time…" He murmured, standing up "I have heard that you have lost your demon…you are of no use as a shinobi then…" He said, walking around her as if it was an art gallery inspection. _

"_I am a great shinobi with or without my sage." She said bluntly. The Raikage laughed. _

"_I am well aware of that…however until you prove your loyalty to me I will not let you step foot outside of this village…that's rule number one." _

_Akina did not speak, knowing her tone of voice would be quite…unwanted. _

"_Rule number two, You may not have access to the messenger hawks…Rule number three, Darui will keep an eye on you until I can see you are trustworthy." _

"_Wait wait wait…I do NOT need a baby sitter…" _

_The Raikage ignored her. _

"_Rule number four…there will be no communication between any hidden village, unless told by me, _especially_ the sand." _

_Akina felt like her world was slowly falling apart again. _

"_Welcome to Kumogakure Miss Haruka." He whispered in her ear. He motioned for the guards to take her out of the room, and forcefully they did so. Night had fallen and the Anbu had taken her into a run down motel like place. _

"_This is where you will be staying." The one who had taken her weapons said. "Darui will be her shortly Miss Haruka..." The man said and Akina could almost tell that his voice was some what sad. _

"_Thank you." She said bowing and making her way through the door. _

"_I can wait with you if you like…" _

"_Still don't trust me?" She murmured. The Anbu chuckled. _

"_No…actually I see you as a very trustworthy person…the Kazekage was lucky to have you…but this place can be lonely…" _

"_I've been alone quite awhile…I think I can handle…but thank you..." She waited for a name. _

"_Uryuu..." _

"_Thank you…Uryuu…and you can call me Akina…" _

As she sat at her desk filing through her paper work she thought for a minute.

Maybe it wasn't all _that_ bad.

(^_^)(^_^)

Suna...

A tall slim red head sat at his desk, filing through mission reports. The years since Akina had left, with no word as he expected from the cloud, were very lonely. Wakana visited him daily, giving him lunch that she had made, seeing the Temari's cooking could kill a goat. And they eat anything…and everything. Still he missed Akina to no end; her constant smile brought him small joys every day that he would barge in with some convoluted idea. Occasionally, Wakana would do that to; most of them were more convoluted than Akina's. He saw how much she took after Wakana. He looked at a picture of him and her on his desk; it was his fifteenth birthday, a year before he became Kazekage. He missed those days…

His days now were very lonely…even with his family and Wakana around.

Go to work.

File Paperwork.

Go home.

Don't Sleep.

And repeat.

That was his life now. No checking his desk for explosive ink traps or making sure his shampoo won't turn his hair pink. Now a days he would bury himself in his papers. Sometimes not even coming home. He would occasionally take a mission or two but it still didn't help him.

Hours passed before the sun had gone down, around quarter to midnight, once a year now, Gaara would go to the roof of the Tower, and only on these days would he do this. Toda, after all was a special day.

Time passed and the clock struck midnight.

"Happy Birthday…Akina…"

(^_^)(^_^)

Back In Kumogakure.

Akina sat by her window, the house feeling colder than usual as she stared at the sky. Her hand clutched the pendant around her neck, one she had received from Gaara many years ago. A star flew past the others in the sky. She closes her eyes, making a wish.

"I wish…I could see him again." She whispered into the darkness of her home. Silently she got up off her window sill and walked over to a rickety old table where a candle stood, illuminating the memories of her past in her eyes. Silently she made her way over to it, blowing out the fire.

She looked back at the sky one more time.

"Good night…Gaara…I love you…"

And with that she walked into her room, turning in for the night.

Little did she know that they would encounter soon. Very soon.

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And that is the first chapter of the Gods of War and the Will of Fire.

I think this one's gonna be awesome!


	3. When Night Falls The Beast Will Crawl

Hey there guys! ENJOY!

Chapter 2

3 weeks later

Akina groggily woke up from her sleep due to the obnoxious knocking on her door. She grumbled, getting out of her bed and making her way to the door. Opening it she came face to face with Omoi, a shinobi on Team Samui. She had expected it to be Darui…perhaps he was on a mission. That was the first thought that came to her mind.

"Darui away?"

Omoi did not answer but instead walked into her apartment.

"Morning to you too…" She grumbled. "Any particular reason you have intruded on my day off?"

Omoi stared at her for a moment as she rubbed her eyes.

"Get dressed…Lord Raikage needs to see you right away." He said. She heard it as more a demand than a request. Not wanting to upset Raikage today, her first day off in four years, Akina walked into her room, quickly getting dressed.

"So what does Lord Epicly-useless-entrances-and-exits-through-windows-to-escape-paperwork want?" She called form her room, using her favorite nickname for the Kage that certainly ruined a good part of her life. Omoi suppressed a smirk at the nickname. It was a correct observation, after all.

"Come with me and he'll tell you." Omoi responded. "Hurry it up…or else he'll give you all his paper work."

"He does that already." Akina responded monotonously as she walked past him, towards the door. Omoi followed and the two made their way over the roof tops to the Tower.

He two made there way into the office where Darui and said Kage stood, looking over something intently. With them was C, the other right hand man of Raikage. C looked up, greeting Akina with a nod. Raikage looked up, motioning her to come over.

"Haruka…take a look at this…" He said to her. Akina curiously walked over, picking up what they were looking at. It was a folder of various pictures of what looked like to be a large creature.

"What exactly do you need?" She asked, her interest suddenly piqued. The more she looked at the pictures and screen shots, along with the dates that each sighting was recorded, the more she became…confused.

"To know what the hell were dealing with…" Darui replied. The Raikage said nothing. "Are they demons?"

Akina looked up.

_They? _They_ is plural…but these pictures…_ She trailed off in thought, looking through each one, examining it quickly. '…these pictures depict one beast…'

"There's been more than one hasn't there?"

Raikage hesitated before answering.

"Every village has reported seeing one…Suna has seen possibly two…"

Akina's eyes widened when she heard Suna.

_Gaara…_

Raikage knew that she would become more interested if it had to do with her old home…and her beloved Kazekage. The image of Gaara made his anger boil…how he hated the sand shinobi. To him Gaara was quite arrogant and too young to rule.

Akina looked over the pictures in her head. Something wasn't right.

_I took out the Juubi so the beast's should have disappeared…right? _She thought. _Yeah definitely…so then… _Her thought's trailed off.

"Haruka!" The Raikage yelled, getting impatient. "What the hell is going on?"

Akina looked at him, then back at pictures. It was definitely a demon…but something else was nicking at her mind. She had to do some research. But the real question is would he let her.

_So many secrets could be hidden there, was he willing to let me know them?_ She thought. The Raikage looked at her, waiting for her to say something. _No…I come from the sand there's no way he would…I'll have to find another way in… _She knew that he disliked those of the sand.

She pushed her hair back behind her ear as she used her other hand to pick up the pictures.

"May I take this home and study them more closely?" She asked. The Raikage nodded.

"See what you can find Haruka." He said, dismissing her. Omoi followed her out of the room.

One thing was for sure that she knew.

_I have to contact Gaara…somehow…_ She thought as they exited the Tower. _But first…I have to break into the archives…_ She pondered it for a moment. An idea coming to mind, she made her way into the apartment, telling Omoi that she would be in here the rest of the day. The shinobi nodded and headed towards the roof.

_Alright…time to execute operation break in. _She thought as she walked into her room.

"This might actually be fun…" She whispered to herself as she pulled out a black mask and black clothes. "I like challenges." She said, putting the mask behind her couch as she sat down to wait for the right time to leave.

She could only hope right now that Gaara was okay…no telling what these beasts were after.

**

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**

**Suna.**

"Alert the Kazekage! A large beats was spotted along the north entrance!" A Jonin yelled to another woman. The woman nodded and took off towards the tower, her sand emblem shining in the light of the sunset.

_Night's falling…we have to take care of this before we loose sight!_ She thought, making her legs move faster. She skidded to a halt outside of Gaara's door. Bursting through; she found him already putting on his gear.

"Took you freaking long enough! Let's go!" The girl yelled. Gaara looked over at her, nodding. His eyes gleamed dangerously in the darkening light of the sun that came through his windows.

"Let's go Wakana…I'm going to need your help in scouting the area." He said strapping on his gourd.

"Go ahead of me and summon Sojiro!" Gaara ordered. Wakana nodded and headed up to the roof, not stopping as she ran. She bit her thumb as she jumped off the roof.

"Kuchiyose!" She yelled, a cloud of smoke engulfed her as she free fell form the roof. Only she did not make it to the ground. As Gaara jumped on his sand, Wakana soared out of the smoke cloud and high into the sky on Sojiro's back. The bird squawked loudly; its own way of announcing it's arrival.

"Wakana head to the far end, near the border and look for him there, tell me what you find!" She nodded and Sojiro took off, adjusting the mic receiver around her neck. She looked back at Gaara who made his way to the outskirts of the desert in front of the gates.

There was no telling where the hell this thing would pop up, but they sure as hell wouldn't let it disappear this time.

* * *

Akina quietly sat on her couch, looking over the papers. She glanced at the clock, it was almost midnight. Closing her eyes she concentrated her chakra, sensing the shinobi that were around. She sensed five.

_Perfect._ She thought, discreetly she got up and moved into her kitchen, taking out sem ingredients she began to chop.

"Ow!" She cursed under her breath as the knife cut her finger, making her way into the bathroom. She closed it, a smirk on her face.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu." She whispered so silently that it was impossible for anyone to hear. A clone appeared and quickly she put a band aid around the finger that was 'injured.'

The fake Akina walked out of the bathroom moments later, looking pissed. Not even the best shinobi could see through that. Quietly she moved the tiles at the end of her bathroom off the floor, revealing a board beneath them. Picking it up, she put on her black mask and dropped down the hole. Moments later the clone went back into the bathroom to put back the tiles. To anyone outside watching…it looked like she was using the bathroom. Akina dropped into the sewers below the village, making her way east, towards the Tower.

Operation break into the archives had officially begun.

* * *

And that was the second chapter. Kind of interesting I hope.


	4. Part Of Your Soul!

Chapter 3! =) Enjoy. And yeah i know! they're getting longer!

Chapter 3

Akina took off down the sewer system, heading east where she knew the Tower was. Underneath the tower was a small library, filled with the archives that anyone could really look out. Behind one of the doors that were locked were the forbidden archives. She knew that if there was anything in that place that would tell her about the beasts…it would be in there.

She came to a stop where the tunnel ended. She calculated the distance she traveled.

_Too short_. She thought. _There has to be another way…_

She then walked along the walls, pressing her ear against the wall as she knocked. As she got father away from the end she hit a soft spot. Hitting again she found that it was no doubt hollow.

"Found the entrance…now…how do I get in without making a ruckus?" She whispered to herself.

She would need something that could cut through stone; no mere kunai could do that without it being chakra infused. That would also result in a ruckus of sorts. Leaning against the non hollow section of the wall she went over everything that she had on her person. Senbon, kunai, shuriken…that was it. A frown came to her face; she might have to just make a ruckus in order to get in.

"But there has to be something…" She whispered again. She closed her eyes, trying to come up with an idea. The only thing that came to mind was the scythe…

_But could I summon it? _She wasn't completely sure. _With the sage gone shouldn't the scythe have gone with it? _The theory that it disappeared with the sage would make sense to anyone…but something was nicking at her mind…

She closed her eyes, trying to remember.

"_**Your scythe is part of your soul…it can never disappear…"**_

The voice traveled across her mind, her memory recognized it immediately, throwing her back into a spiral of memories, finally stopping at one.

When she first met the sage.

_Akina stood on the training field in Sunagakure, the Village Hidden in The Sand. Her chakra was almost depleted, but she still pushed on. _

"_Not yet…" she mumbled. "I'm not done yet!" She made a hand sign and ten clones appeared. She spared against them at once, taking few hits, until she was thrown into a tree by one of them from a blow to the stomach. She sat for a minute against the broken bark of the tree, trying to catch her breath. _

"_Food…" She mumbled, her stomach finally making it self known. Deciding to call it quits for today she stood up. However…an explosion occurred. _

_Akina fell forward when tremors shook the field. She did not fall but instead looked east immediately when she saw the smoke surrounding one of the outer walls. As she began running over to it, finding the strength to move as quickly ass possible, she spotted sand making it's way hastily through the air. _

"_Gaara…" She whispered. Her gaze became hard as she increased her speed. When she came to the bottom of the wall she continued running up it, using her chakra to push her as fast as possible. A feeling grew inside her then, she already knew that her village was most likely under attack. And she would make damn sure that she would protect it right along side Gaara. As she jumped over the edge, landing on the top, she saw Gaara already in his fighting clothes, his robes no longer on him. _

_She made her what to the edge of the wall where she saw what looked like an entire army before them. Her eyes averted to Gaara, who only stared out to the desert, looking at the armies. Jonnin and Anbu walked up behind him, Gaara turned to them. _

"_Squads one through five, hit them as hard as you can…they will not get any further." He ordered. The squads nodded and jumped down the wall, heading into battle. Gaara climbed on eh edge of the wall, where the remaining teams waited behind the ones that had already gone ahead. _

"_Today we fight!" He yelled to the troops. "Show no mercy! Show them the reason why you wear the symbol of the Hidden Sand so proudly!" He yelled. The troops roared in agreement, heading out. The long range fighters, staying behind. Akina smiled as she saw him jump onto a cloud of sand, rising high above the land. _

"_Akina…" Gaara called, turning his head to look over his shoulder at her. "Protect the wall…do not let anyone get passed here." He ordered, she nodded accepting it immediately. _

_The wind blew fiercely as she grinned at him, throwing her fist out as a sign of acceptance. _

"_You got it Gaara! Go kick some ass!" She yelled, jumping off the edge of the wall her self, making hand signs sliding down the wall. _

"_Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She yelled after popping a few chakra pills into her mouth. The side effects kicked in as her stomach erupted in pain. She ignored it and sent out her clones, attacking the enemy that had come out of the ground. The fight felt like hours. The enemy soldiers had dwindled, but not as much as the sand's numbers. Many had been either killed or wounded. She spotted Gaara fighting in the sky, using the new jutsu he had perfected. Several pillars of sand ripped from the desert floor, bringing the enemy up with the grains. She saw it though, even if he was far away, she saw it was taking a big toll on his chakra. She knew that he needed back up…and the soldiers below him would not be enough. _

_She ran quickly, ducking as a punch came her way. She slid on the grains of sand, pushing herself up with her arms she kicked the enemy in the stomach, sending him high into the sky. She made another hand sign, summoning more clones. _

"_Here's a little something from Naruto's Ninja Handbook!" she yelled. "Ha- Ru- Ka!" Three kicks from the back sent him flying down. Akina met him before he hit the ground, gracefully spinning until her leg collided with his back. "Akina Barrage!" He rocketed downward, collided with the hard ground that connected with the wall. A sickening crack was heard. From the corner of her eye she looked over at Gaara. It was a split second, but it was all it took for someone to send her flying into the concrete wall. She collided with it hard, knocking her somewhat unconscious. _

_Gaara had saw it though. His anger flared up as his sand reached out at her opponent and crushed him. But the little detour had cost him, as a boulder shot up from the ground. _

_It hit his sand cloud, going through it and threw him off it. Akina had regained consciousness and all she saw that second was him falling form what had to be several hundred feet into the air. She sprinted off towards him, yelling his name. _

_A fear welled up inside her, was he really going to die? _

_No! She had to make it to him! She ran as quickly as she could but he was falling faster than she could manage to run. _

"_**Akina…**_" _She heard a distant voice in her mind. __**"Akina…summon me…"**__ the voice again. A power welled up inside her soul, it was gaining power too, almost like a spiral. _

'_But how?' She thought. 'How can I summon something I don't even know?' She yelled in her mind. _

"_**Press your palm into the sand…then I will do the rest…" **__She heard the voice say. As Gaara got closer to the ground and the enemy got closer to the sand as well she thought at that moment that it wouldn't hurt to try. _

_And that's exactly what she did. _

"_Kuchiyose!" She yelled, flipping forward so her hand would press into the ground. Marking erupted onto the sand and in a flash of light she found herself engulfed in a power she had felt before. She found herself engulfed in a dark chakra as she ran. There was also a presence in her soul that was much stronger. As if it were equal with hers in a balance that was remarkable. _

"_**Akina…"**_ _The voice said again. __**"Akina use your clones…"**__ the voice commanded. She listened and made hand signs. _

"_Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She yelled and the number of her clones doubled that of the army. "Whoa!" She yelled as she ran towards Gaara, she jumped as high as she could, grabbing him in the air. As she fell with him her clones amassed below her catching them both. _

_Gaara's eyes blinked open as he saw her standing over him. _

"_Don't ever do that again 'ya hear?" She said, worry written all over her face. Gaara stood up and marveled at the sight of his new army. _

"_How did you do this?" He whispered in awe. _

"_Let's figure that out later…" She responded turning back to her clones. The enemy had briefly stopped moving, unsure of what to make of the new army before them. _

"_**Akina…"**__ The voice called again in her head. __**"Hold out your hand and concentrate your chakra into your hand." **__Akina closed her eyes and did so. __**"What will appear in your hand will be a measure of how true your soul is…it will be your weapon…and only yours…as the Ruler of Nine you will save the world." **_

_Akina opened her eyes immediately after the words had crossed through her mind. She noticed a bright light appearing in her hand and in the hand's of her clones. It morphed into something large. In seconds a scythe had fully appeared, on its hilt was inscribed the word Ruranain. _

_The words spoken before by the mysterious presence in her soul suddenly became clear. _

_The story book that had been her favorite when she was little…the story of the Ruranain…was true. She was the next Ruranain. _

_Just as the thought crossed her mind a chuckle also passed through her mind. _

"_**I am the Rikudo Sage…you are in fact the Ruranain…chosen by fate to keep the balance of the beasts…with this scythe it is your duty to protect the jinchuuricki and Bijuu at all costs…" **__The voice said in her mind. Akina stared off into the distance, looking at the enemy before her and the village. _

"_Gaara…" she said quietly. "I'll finish this…" She said, gripping her scythe. Gaara was speechless as he stared at the three pronged scythe that appeared in her hand. He looked back at her, wondering where she got this kind of strength from._

"_**Do you accept?" **__The voice yelled in her subconscious. A smirk appeared on her face. _

"_Yes!" She yelled out loud and a power engulfed hr being, stronger from the one before. Gaara was glued in his spot as she watched her clones also engulf in power too, the dark chakra visible. The clones ran forward, pulling back their scythes they then jumped, catapulting the scythes at the enemy. The five lines were hit head on, an unavoidable attack. _

_Akina herself jumped higher into the air. _

"_**Finishing move!" **__Akina yelled, her voice becoming deeper as the Sage took over her part of her body. She lifted her scythe into the air; she concentrated all of her chakra into the blades of scythe, also adding some fire nature to it. The blades burst into a blue flame. _

"_**Dragon's Wrath!" **__She said, letting it fall to the ground. As it hit it erupted in a spiral of flames, engulfing the whole enemy army. As the rest of the enemy retreated quickly she fell back down onto the grains of sand. Akina groaned as she stood up, looking over at a speechless Gaara. The entire shinobi army cheered. _

"_Where in the hell did you learn that?" Gaara yelled, letting his composed mask fall off. _

_Akina blinked, looking up into the sky for a minute. She walked over to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. _

"_I'll explain later…hell I'm not even too sure myself…but first let's tend to your wounds mister float-in-the-sky-hundreds-of-feet-up-and-then-fall." _

_Gaara set a glare in place as she dragged him off towards the infirmary. Sometimes women could be so damn irritating. _

Akina closed her eyes, concentrating her chakra into her hand. The only possible way she could get through the cement-ish hollow wall was to use her scythe and cut through it.

_It can never go away…part of my soul…_ She thought. _Soul…_

A feeling enveloped her as in her mind she saw the faces of everyone she had protected over the years. The strength engulfed her, she hadn't felt it in four years.

As she opened her eyes she saw a ball of light in her hand. As the faces continued to go by her, her feeling of iron will and determination increased until her scythe had formed.

A small smile filled her features as she finally understood that her soul was not something that she herself created…it was something that other people influenced. She fought to protect everyone…just like Naruto and that was the true person she really was.

She stared at her scythe, the name Ruranain still etched in it.

A sudden determination to protect all the villages filled her...and she knew the first steps were hidden in this archive. With that in mind, she began to summon her fire nature chakra, which made the scythe melt away the wall itself, revealing another small tunnel of darkness with one stream of light. There was no doubt that that was the entrance to the archives.

* * *

Wakana glided over the northern border where Gaara ordered her to go to. She saw nothing that pointed towards a beast, and it didn't make sense. Just last week there were torn trees and bushes, along with large imprints in the sand that began at the edge of the forest.

Ever since the Leaf was destroyed and the land divided up when it was decided to not make a fifth village again, things were weird.

What was even weirder was the fact that she reported the damaged land, so how could something like that just disappear?

It really made no sense…at all.

"_**Wakana…**_" The bird said, catching her attention. _**"There is nothing out here…"**_

Wakana's eyes narrowed.

It was just reported that there was a beast along the north border, Sojiro can no be beat in a race except with Kamina. She knew that for a fact.

She touched the receiver on her neck, telling Gaara there was nothing out there. It was a moment before he responded.

"Nothing on this side either." Was the deep reply she got...but still, if the beast was out there, and it was a fact that there was a beast, then how in the hell could it disappear without either of them at least catching wind of it's chakra. Especially Sojiro, nothing could escape his eyes that could see things up to three miles away.

"Head back before the sun sets." Gaara said through his end as he hovered on a sand cloud about two hundred feet up, getting a complete three-sixty degree vision of the desert with one of his clones standing to his back.

He didn't understand it either. Nothing could just disappear in thin air, not even he could that fast.

Maybe it was a scare tactic from another smaller village in the outskirts of the Hidden Villages.

"Gaara…I'm going to stay out here." Wakana replied through her mic. "I think it will show up."

Gaara's eyes widened and he immediately said no. After several minutes of her yelling he reluctantly agreed…but only if both Sojiro and Kamina and Temari were present with her.

She heard her groan but reluctantly said yes.

He shook his head as she turned the dial on the mic to the next number, telling Temari, who was on the east end to have Kankuro replace her and go back up Wakana. The elders would have a heart attack if he went out again, especially after the whole kidnapped by Akatsuki incident, and the almost getting killed while recuing Akina…twice.

The thought of Akina brought a frown to his face. Four years since he has seen her and it didn't make him any happy when he thought about her. In fact, his thoughts traveled off often to more…cloth less thoughts. Often that happened when he would have a nap, or what Kankuro would call his raccoon nap. Honestly his brother could be so…odd sometimes. How in the hell does he turn cat nap into raccoon…oh never mind.

_Things like that should not be on my mind right now…_ He scolded himself. _The village comes first right now. _

He stayed in the air a few more hours before descending to the desert, where he continued to watch through the night. He came down when he saw Temari going off after Wakana and decided it would save chakra if he just stayed on the ground, and he would be better equipped if this…_thing_…should come.

Something told him that if this thing didn't show up now…it would sure as hell come eventually.

* * *

Akina flipped on the light in the archive room when she knew for sure it was completely empty. She moved quickly through the rows, heading to a locked door and pulled out a senbon after she un-summoned her scythe, sending it back in the ball of light that it came in.

"Alright…carefully…" She whispered, putting the senbon into the lock. She poured her chakra in, melting it with fire nature and cooling it at the same time. A neat little trick she learned when she was a gennin, it was great for reckon missions. Or busting out of the closet Temari would occasionally lock her in because t was funny to watch her try to break down the iron door.

She frowned slightly when she thought about the sand.

One day…she knew she would go back and for once that was enough to but her concentrating face back on.

The senbon melted, matching the key hole perfectly. As soon as she turned it a large hand made itself known on her shoulder.

"Kin! What in the hell are you doing?"

Akina spun around, meeting Darui's face.

"..Errrr..." _Busted! _

_

* * *

_*GASP* What will happen to Akina now? Will Darui buy her excuse? Find out next week!

And so i was going to be done typing like chapter 8 y this week...guess what i got up to! "The" in chapter 4...thats rights...the first freaking word...sigh...i need to manage time better... -_-


	5. Defying Logic

Chapter 4

_Busted!_

Akina looked up at the questioning glance of Darui.

"Kin?" He asked again, raising a brow at her.

"H-Hey Darui! What's happenin'?" She replied quickly, trying not to look like she was breaking and entering.

"What in the hell are you doing?"

Akina gulped, trying to think of something, anything that could get her out of trouble! She had no idea what he would do if she told him the truth! If the Raikage found out all hell would break loose! She had to think of something quickly and unknown to her as to why, one word came to mind:

"S-Squirrel." She said quickly, mentally slapping herself as that came out of her mouth. Darui blinked, obviously lost.

"Squirrels?" He repeated the word, trying to make sense to something that really just didn't. "What does a squirrel have to do with the archives?"

Well it was now or never. She had to play it up and make him believe her. She coughed, standing up now.

"The little bastard escaped under the door is what he did!" She pointed at the door angrily. "I tell you those rodents are so precociously annoying!"

He looked at her, mild amusement showing of his face.

"So…because of a squirrel you decided to dress up as if in Anbu and come to the archives…at midnight…when no one was around?"

_Damn him!_ She thought._ Why was he such a good lie detector?_ She angrily cursed herself in her head. Who knew four years behind a secretarial desk would leave someone so…un-shinobi like? Well…as un-shinobi as Akina could be anyway. Something inside her made her continue with this…just to see how far she could get with him.

"It…was a ninja squirrel…and I had to dress in a black suit so he wouldn't see me and-"

"Alright Kin, now you're just sounding crazy…" He interjected, pinching the bridge of his nose. He groaned, mumbling something about never having a dull moment and troublesome women.

"Alright….fine…" She mumbled, holding her hands up in mock defeat after removing her mask. "I needed to get into the archives for research okay?" She finally said. Darui smirked, poking her forehead.

"You are a terrible liar 'ya know that? When you lie it makes everything either hilarious or incredibly dull."

Akina rolled her eyes. "Gee…thanks." She mumbled. "So aren't you going to take me in as a prisoner or something?"

He did not move, staring blankly at her.

"You know since I broke in?"

Still no response…

"Eh? You alive? Oh oh I get it…I have to go to over-dramatic-entrances-and-exits-man's-office?"

Akina twitched angrily when he did not respond again. She then threw her hand sup in the air. Annoyed, she said:

"Darui!" She grabbed his vest, angrily attempt to pull him down to eye level. The man smirked, moving his fist from his side and brining it up. Akina took it as a sign of attack and jumped back. She skidded back and immediately put her fists up. "I may be the secretary but I sure as hell can fight!" She yelled.

Darui only smirked, and in a flash was behind her, kunai coming up to her head. Akina responded quickly with her own kunai and blocked the attack. He did not move from where he was, slight amusement showing on his face again.

"You want to get into the archives?" He whispered so only she could hear. He pulled back his kunai and stepped away until he was a few feet form her. Akina's face stayed placid, only a small shimmer of anger coming up to the surface. Darui held out his fisted hand and opened it. A small key fell out and dangled from his fingers. "Fight me."

Akina's eyes widened as she looked at the key that reflected in the moonlight that came in through the windows.

"And…and if I win?" She replied back.

"Tonight will be forgotten, and you get into the archives." He replied back, attaching the key to neck chain. He jumped up to the small window, unlatching it.

"When I win I also want something else."

He stopped what he was doing, looking back over his shoulder slightly.

"And that would be?"

Akina looked back over to the window he was at, meeting his gaze with a fierce glare set in place.

"I want to be able to contact Suna…preferably the Kazekage…" She said, not breaking her gaze.

"…I'll see what I can do…I can' promise anything but that's only if you win." He replied, climbing out the window. "Mid day tomorrow in the training fields. Be there." He called from outside and then his presence was gone.

"You're on." She mumbled, climbing back through the sewer systems she came. Tomorrow…would be interesting.

**OUTSKIRTS OF SUNA**

Wakana, Temari and their small team sat in front of the crackling fire that kept them warm on this cold desert/forest night. Wakana in particular, stared at the fire, watching the flames dance as it burned the wood they collected previously.

"Wakana are you sure this…thing…will show?" Temari asked.

Wakana hesitated, not sure of the answer herself.

"I'm…not sure myself but…" She paused, picking up a stick. "It wouldn't hurt to wait…" The fire crackled loudly as she tossed it into the fire. The flames danced wildly around the now burning stick. Silently she thought that it would be nice if it was that easy to get rid of any problem…how nice that would be…

Several hours passed and at that point she estimated it was around three in the morning. Wakana sat at the fire alone; it was beginning to die down. Matsuri and Temari had already gone to sleep, and the so called beast that was believed to have been sighted made no attempt to make itself known. She was beginning to wonder if it was real or not…

She silently mused over the thoughts circulating in her head as she watched the fire's flames dance slowly as it died down slightly. One particular thought continued to cross her mind…

'_Akina has something to do with this…_' She thought. _She just has too…_

It made sense too, with the new Ruranain not known to the villages, hell maybe even the whole world; there was no fear between man and bijuu. According to history, when both sides knew the existence of the Ruranain, both sides would be wary of the other. This was because that according to legend, the Ruranain could control any beasts after it was fully trained and could turn them on anything, or calm them. History itself told of the random attacks beasts committed on many villages and the fear that spread through the world as each of the demons was revealed. However, the rumor of the Ruranain really wasn't thought as true until the nine tails attack on the leaf. Only a select group of people knew that Madara Uchiha was the culprit behind that. The thought of that wretched man made her blood boil. He ruined so much in this world…

Still…the fear behind the Bijuu's became a fear of the Ruranain, who supposed to be the savior, along with the jinchurricki. However, it was unknown to the nations whether or not there is a Ruranain now, and also whether or not there are Bijuu anymore. And now with the random sightings of creatures, more fear has sprung up that they have returned…some say it's the end of the world and that it's some age old prophecy coming true.

No matter what the hell the truth really was right now…Wakana knew that the only way anything could be figured out was to take things one step at a time. One thing that she was sure of was that eventually…she would see her again. And next time…she won't leave.

Wakana sighed, standing up from the fire and walking off into the back woods a bit, towards the stream she discovered from before.

The sound of it softly running over the rocks filled her senses with tranquility. It blocked out the sound of the crackling fire, leaving her with a sense of calmness. She really wished she could stay here forever, but everyone's forever has to end at some point ne?

A shrill scream happened to be that end of forever, and it decided to come from the campsite. Immediately she was running towards the site, pulling out her katana. She ran up one of the near by trees, jumping off one of the branches and landing right next to the person that emitted the sound.

"Matsuri!" she yelled, landing next to the frightened girl. "What's going on?"

The girl did not answer, she only pointed towards the back woods.

"Come on! Speak words!" She urged.

"T-Temari!" She stuttered. "She ran off a-after this…this…"

"Oh for Kami's sake!" She groaned, running off in the direction she sensed Temari. It sounded like this thing finally made itself known…but what exactly it was…she had no clue. She did know that whatever it was had to be frightening enough for Matsuri to be afraid and to have Temari run off after it.

Wakana hurriedly continued in the direction she still sensed Temari. The forest was overly silent now, an unnatural silence. She stopped soon at a clearing in the forest, looking around.

"Alright…now which way did you go?" She mumbled but jumped back when a shuffling in the bushes made itself known. Immediately she drew her sword. "Fire Style! Dragon Bade!" She yelled and the katana burst into flames.

"Relax!" She heard from the mysterious thing in the bushes. "It's just me!" Temari came form the bushes. "Come here and look at this!" She said quickly, Wakana followed, putting away her katana. They came to another clearing but Temari gasped, running towards a spot where there was a pool of red.

"Where'd it go?" She yelled. "It was right here!" Wakana's eyes widened.

"What was here?" She said quickly, looking at the medium sized shape of an animal in the pool, except that the creature wasn't there.

"The creature that came into camp! I chased after it when I sensed a large chakra signature! Then I hit it with a wind attack and it fell to the ground. I thought it was dead!" She cursed herself, leaning on a tree.

"So this thing… is up and moving…hurt…"

"Yeah…." She mumbled.

"What did it look like?" She asked, moving over to the tree.

Temari hesitated, trying to get a good picture in her head.

"It wasn't an animal…it looks like one but it sure as hell ain't." She said. "Back when I was being held captive in the Akatsuki hideout and while you were…well you know…I sensed a chakra signature that belonged to a person but the signature had a certain feel to it…"

"So someone in Akatsuki made this thing?" Wakana cut in.

"No. The signature belonged to Naruto, when he passed by it made no sense but then it later did…he was dead. That chakra signature was the signature of someone who was brought back to life."

"So…we're talking a zombie apocalypse thing here?" Wakana said, raising her brow in amusement.

"I'm serious…I think that that wasn't the creature…I think that it was something created by the creature…"

"But that makes no sense!" Wakana said quickly. Zombie enemies? That certainly was odd.

"Actually it does…well at least if you think about it logically."

"…Temari…there has to be a reasonable explanation for that thing!" Wakana retorted.

"We are at the part of history where the only things that make sense sometimes are the illogical ideas." She said and began walking back to camp. "Let's leave before it comes back…with friends…we have to inform Gaara." She said, walking away.

Wakana groaned. Things were just getting weirder and weirder by the minute. She could only hope Akina knew about this already, because deep down…she had a feeing Temari was right…

She also knew that whatever they were dealing with…might just be breeding an army…if there's one of those creatures that Temari ran after…there are bound to be more.

* * *

So i discovered the only way for me to write a chapter before like the day I'm updating on schedule is to write it...that is such a bad habit whne the only time i can actually write is during class. XD Review!

oh oh and apprently my new theme song according to my friend is Let's Get Retarded. -_-"


	6. Bitten

Chapter 5

Bitten

Wakana, Temari and their team traveled the desert soon after they arrived back at camp. They traveled quickly, heading towards Suna to reveal their findings…or rather what they didn't. The sun had just begun to rise as they neared the sand stone gates, not a sound was heard from anyone. The silence was a mutual understanding enough that what had happened would not be spoken until Gaara knew. Matsuri, especially, was quiet, there was uneasiness to her, as if something more than being startled happened, however no one seemed to notice. Wakana wasn't even close to knowing what they were dealing with; it was all too perplexing for her to really figure out. Only Akina would know…or at least maybe a village elder. With her somewhere in Kumogakure with no sign of returning…the village elders were the best they had right now, which really wasn't going to be much at all. Still it seemed that this creature had power enough to escape Temari _wounded_. That alone is a feat that many can not do, after all how can you escape air?

They crossed the gates, hastily making their way towards the tower. Eyes of other shinobi looked at the group as they made there way through the still some what asleep village. The eyes were mostly on Wakana however…and a set of untrusting eyes they were.

Wakana jogged up the stairs, towards his office, leaving her team outside so she could speak with Gaara first. She knocked hard on the door.

"Enter." A gruff voice said from the other side. She turned the knob, entering and closing the door behind her. She did not kneel like a normal subordinate would have done, she only instead matched his quizzical glance with hard eyes.

"You found something…" He said more to himself.

"More like we lost it…"

At this he raised what could be a brow, his quizzical expression turning into a stoic one, showing his serious demeanor at the moment of hearing that. His silence prompted her to continue.

"A…creature of some sort came into the camp, startling Matsuri…I am unsure of whether or not it attacked but Temari chased after it." She paused momentarily. "She wounded it…I found blood evidence and by the looks of the blood it was badly wounded…" She hesitated, not sure how he would take this.

"And then what?"

"It…disappeared."

Gaara blinked his expression turning into a hardened glare.

"And how exactly did it disappear?" He asked, not pleased with the news at all. Wakana matched his glare with her own. "That I am unsure of, Temari said she was sure it was deceased but when she came back with me it was gone."

Gaara was silent for a time, trying to take in this new information.

"Did you find out anything else?" He asked, turning his chair away form the desk so he could stand. Wakana watched him with wary eyes, for some reason he seemed uneasy about something.

"Yes." She replied. Gaara turned his head slightly, looking over his shoulder. "I…do not know how to explain this exactly Gaara."

Gaara turned his full attention towards her, her hard glance turning into confusion. She sighed, hesitating before speaking again. She explained to the best she could exactly what Temari said. Gaara sat in his chair again, looking not at the person before him but at the wall, a habit he had when he was trying to take in the information he was receiving best.

When she finished there was an expected silence in the room, but not of lacking knowledge of what to do…but rather of thinking of a way to get in contact with _her_.

A knock on the door brought them both out of their thoughts.

"Enter." Gaara responded immediately. The door opened revealing Kankuro. "Yes?"

"We have a situation Gaara." Kankuro said quickly, moving into the room. This caught his attention, and Wakana's, quickly. "It's Matsuri…she's collapsed."

Without another word, the three were out the door, heading towards the medical corps in the hospital.

They came to a stop outside the intensive care units. Wakana immediately called over one of the nurses.

"What happened to her? She was fine on the way back!" She asked quickly, startling the nurse.

"Report says s-she collapsed ma'am." She said, looking over her chart quickly. "She has a high fever and what looks like to be a bite from something. The DNA search hasn't returned any result to what it was exactly."

Wakana nodded, dismissing the nurse and heading into her room hastily. Said girl lay on the bed, an oxygen mask on her. Matsuri's eyes moved towards Wakana and then Gaara and his brother. She sighed and removed the oxygen mask to speak. Wakana immediately snapped at her but she still removed it for a short time.

"I didn't want to say anything first but…" She took another few breaths of oxygen before continuing. "..It bit me when it came into camp." She said, holding up her bandaged arm.

"…So it's venomous now too?" Kankuro whined, pinching the bridge of his nose. Gaara stared at his old student as she took another breath from the oxygen mask. She was in a weak state and it irked him to see that. Whatever was going on he had to stop it, whether or not he could get in touch with Akina did not matter now. His village was in danger…and it was his duty to protect it no matter what. In silence the placid man turned leaving the room. Matsuri followed him with her eyes, watching her leader leave, a wondering gaze on her face. Wakana stayed at her side, inspecting the wound on Matsuri's hand however; detail by detail she looked it over.

"Three inch holes in the skin, looks like a mild infection…" She trailed off, running a q-tip over the top. Her eyes averted to the door, looking at Kankuro. "Tell Gaara I'll be stopping bye later…with a plan if he doesn't have one by then." Said puppeteer nodded, vanishing from the room, but not before connecting his gaze with he injured Jonin.

With that Wakana continued her inspection of the wound Matsuri had on her arm. Said girl winced as Wakana gently ran the tip of cotton against the wound, absorbing any liquid being seeped from it. She then called in on of the nurses, telling her to bring it to the labs for further diagnosis. The woman nodded, taking he cotton and heading towards the labs.

"Alright…" Wakana whispered, picking up a medic kit that had stitches inside. "This is going to hurt…" She whispered to Matsuri. "But only for a moment."

"W-Why can't you just heal it?" The timid girl asked upon seeing the threading needle, her fear of needles began to surface now.

"Because I might need another sample of the wound…if I heal it then we'll loose it." She explained, pulling up the chair next to the bed. "Now I want you to think happy thoughts!" She exclaimed grinning at the girl, who still was on the oxygen mask.

"O-Okay." She whispered as Wakana began to sew it up. Matsuri stared at the wall, not bothering to look at her arm. Wakana finished soon after, running her hand over the wound a green glow emitted.

"I can stop the pain but that's about it right now. When I get the results from the lab back I'll fully heal it." She said, getting up from her chair and moving to the door. "If you need anything let me know okay?" Matsuri nodded as she opened the door.

Wakana opened the door and closed it behind her, leaving Matsuri alone. Said girl sat in the hospital bed, looking out of the window that over looked part of the village. She saw Wakana from above it and watched her walk down the street, heading in what looked like the direction she could assume as the Kazekage's tower.

She groaned, leaning back in her bed with the oxygen mask still on her face.

"Utterly…useless…" She whispered, closing her eyes. She felt herself slip into a comfortable sleep, ignoring the still burning pain in her arm. It felt as though a fire burned in her arm, not a good one but she knocked it off of her thoughts, dismissing it as the wound healing. Soon her chest relaxed and she began to breathe in a rhythmic fashion, up and down, signifying her entrance into the rem zone of sleep.

An enjoyable sleep, however, is something it would not be.

The sun had begun to set now, leaving the village in a shimmering light of many colors as the sun reflected its last rays of the day. As Wakana walked towards the tower, the light hit an angle that reflected her forehead protector around her waist, which itself reflected in the glass windows of the first floor. She looked down at it, watching the light shimmer off it, reminding her of a fire.

For a split second she saw someone standing behind her, and she spun around once there green eyes met hers.

_Akina_

And then they were gone as fast as they came. She then looked at her watch, the second hand ticked by rhythmically as confusion hit her.

_That's not possible…in Kumogakure it's night time…she would be asleep…_

She looked back in the window, the sunlight no longer reflecting off her headband.

_What…no…who was that? _

She thought, for a second it looked like Akina but now that she seriously thought about it looked like…well…from what she remembered in story books with pictures of her…it looked like the Sage of the Sixth paths. But that just wasn't possible!

_Was it? _

She shook the idea from her head and walked into the tower, heading toward Gaara's office on the third floor, knocking on the door loudly, though she knew he sensed her when she entered the building.

"Enter." The door closed behind her as he looked back from the window. She leaned back against the door, folding her arms across her chest and closing her eyes as if in deep thought.

"She is stable….for now." She began. "We have to do something about this now Gaara." She said, opening her eyes and moving his gaze towards her. "I have no idea what effect this will have on her. Do you think that maybe the other nations know something more?" She asked.

Gaara looked at her, then towards the window, pursing his lips.

"Perhaps…" He said, moving from his chair. The reflection of light in the windows had begun to slowly fade now. Wakana watched as his features began to look darker, a certain dark edge to him became apparent. It was…enticing. She understood then why Akina had fallen for him… "Wakana…" He said, catching her attention. "What do you say to a Kage meeting …in Suna?"

A small smile graced her features.

"I say that would be awesome!" She exclaimed. "We can get everyone here and figure out this problem all at once!"

Gaara chuckled at her.

"Well then we must get the requests out at once then." He responded, pulling out paper. Wakana smiled, moving towards the door.

"I'll tell the shinobi in the messenger tower to ready three hawks." She said, walking out of the room and off towards the messenger tower. As she left he pulled out sheets of parchment, and then sitting at his desk again, began to write the letters to the Kages.

Off in the distance, Matsuri lay in her bed, sweating profusely as she was witness to nightmares. This was only the beginning of the plague that will take over the world in a matter of weeks. Starting with her…

The first to be bitten…

* * *

**I know its short but I have alot going on lately and I promise to update on time! Maybe even a double update if I can! Promise! I have a free tomrorow so I'll be working on it allll period and until I go home! I've been workingon trying to develop certian characters more this story too so I hope you get a better insite in Wakana! She's going to be playing a big role from now on... (but thats all I'm Going to say!) ;]**

-**Kitkat**


	7. First To Go Down

**First To Go Down**

Akina sat up in her bed groggily staring up at the annoying light the dawning sun brought her.

"Evil…" She mumbled, flopping back down on the pillows. Rubbing her eyes in an irritated fashion, she turned towards her alarm. "Mmm…oh it's eleven-fifteen…" She mumbled, rolling back over.

Three…

Two…

One…

"Wait what?" She whispered, bolting up in bed and whipping her head back around to her clock. She stared at the time, not making a single move. It changed to eleven sixteen now, she had exactly forty-four minutes till she had to fight Darui. "Shit."

From outside her room, loud banging could be heard, along with a curse very two seconds. A mere ten minutes later she was scrambling out the door hooking her kunai pouch on her waist, and heading down the street. She had a little less than twenty minutes now to ready herself for her fight. She had never actually seen Darui fight before, but that was because she'd been the damn secretary for four years that she hadn't seen him fight. She actually hadn't seen anyone fight in this village, except for the small children rough housing below in the streets. But that really didn't count…after all it wasn't the children she was facing in basically mortal combat.

Within a few minutes she was at the training field and a sort of anxiety shook her as she spotted the Raikage there as well with an angry expression plastered on his face. She wasn't sure if it was his normal expression or his really angry expression…they looked pretty similar in her opinion…minus the loud yelling of course. She continued to stand on the field, waiting for them to notice her, or acknowledge her presence.

"Looks like you made it on time short stuff." A voice said from behind her. Anger immediately set in when she heard herself being called short. She already knew who it was.

"Omoi…" She said testily, the boy chuckled.

"Relax Kin." Omoi said, jumping onto a small rock near them. He sat himself down, pulling out some odango. "I'm just here to enjoy a morning show with food."

"Fat ass." She snapped, angered by his presence. He pouted in response.

"Am not!"

"Do not start this Omoi…not today." She said, tightening her kunai holster.

"Move quickly, don't let your guard down for even a second." He said quietly, popping another odango into his mouth. Akina nodded, walking to the Raikage, Darui and now C, who just arrived. Darui shifted his gaze towards her, a placid expression on his face.

"Good to see you came." He called out. Akina smirked, disappearing in a flash. Darui turned his gaze to behind him pulling out a kunai quickly, blocking her kunai. The metals of the weapons pushed upon the other as the two smirked at each other.

"I would never miss a chance to kick your ass."

Raikage smirked, already enjoying this. C however marveled at Akina's speed.

"Ready?" Darui asked. Akina's smirk widened and she disappeared again. Raikage and C transported themselves off the field the second she disappeared.

"I guess that's a yes." Darui commented, grabbing the hilt of his blade.

His gaze searched the field for any sign of her, looking in all directions. Akina made no hesitation to start her first attack, throwing multiple shuriken at Darui, who easily dodged them. His speed was phenomenal, but she knew she could not loose this battle.

Darui countered her, using his sped to build momentum, he caught up to her drawing his blade. She dodged it, narrowly avoiding the hit. The chakra he infused it with still sent rips in her clothing. She retaliated then with a series of kicks, which all missed to. On the last one he grabbed her leg and flung her into the rock to their side.

Before she could make contact her body turned into a pile of sand. Darui's eyes widened at this, he expected a substitution of sorts…but not sand.

Sensing something behind him, he spun around, swinging his blade. Akina ducked quickly, using her hands to support her weight she tried to kick out his legs from under him. Quickly, he drove his blade into the ground, using it as leverage to push himself up. He had to admit…she had some tricks up her sleeve…that much was certain. But, he also had some tricks up his sleeve.

"Is that all you can do Kin?" He asked, smirking. "I hope this little fight won't be dull."

Her eyes narrowed. Mocking her was he? Well…looks like its time she kicked it into high gear. However before she could make a move he was already behind her, throwing a swift punch at her, which connected. She skidded against the hard ground, unprepared for the blow.

"The first one to go down is always the one to loose." He said, running forward. "You won't beat me." He lifted his blade, bringing it down.

Akina's eyes widened as she watched him come at her. She shut her eyes, knowing she couldn't dodge this.

_I'll repay that…I'll repay that ten times over. _

Gaara's voice echoed in her mind.

_Gaara._

Akina's eyes shot open as she saw the blade coming down as she held out her hand towards the blade. Then a sudden flash erupted around them.

Darui squinted trying to make out what stopped his blade, but he was thrown back suddenly by something large. A billow of smoke surrounded Akina as she stood, from outside you could see nothing. The light disappeared with the smoke and Akina stood, her eyes closed.

"Take your best shot Darui." She said, her eyes opened, revealing a change in her eyes. A change in emotion…a new found determination. "I'll send it back a thousand fold."

Darui smirked.

"Let's see you try." He called, disappearing. Akina spun around, matching his speed now, and countered his blade with a chakra infused kunai.

"Don't be such a cocky bastard." She growled out, her eyes narrowing, she quickly let go of her kunai and used her hands to grab his arm. Before he could move she brought up her leg, kneeing him and thus sending him back into the rock Omoi sat on. Omoi moved just in time. "Never underestimate me." She said.

Darui smirked as he got up, showing only a few scratches on his person. Akina's eyes narrowed, most people would have been out cold form that hit. But then again…he was in no way ordinary.

"Your strength is as impressive as ever." He commented.

"Don't think I'm done just yet!" She yelled making a hand sign. "Multi Shadow Clone jutsu!"

Darui actually looked surprised at the amount of clone surrounding him, well over a thousand. They all came at once, attacking him from all sides. He grabbed his blade again, throwing it to his left and taking out a good amount of clones, while he used a water jutsu on the right and front portion. The clones glared and charged again, engaging him in taijutsu, which he executed expertly.

"Darui!" She yelled, he immediately looked, watching the five clones fall down from the sky. "Take this! Straight from Naruto's Ninja Handbook!" She yelled, bringing up her leg. He already sensed the deadly amount of chakra she concentrated in her leg. He quickly brought his arms to protect himself, knowing he couldn't dodge this attack. But before he could try to dodge this attack, three more clones came up from the ground, this he was unable to block with his hands over his head at the time.

"Ha!"

"Ru!"

"Ka!"

He was hit from all sides, thrown into the air and he was also pretty sure he had a fractured rib, or at least bruised. Before he could retaliate Akina was above him again, pulling back her fist along with the other clones that were next to her.

"Akina Barrage!" They yelled, driving their chakra concentrated fists into his body., sending him flying back down.

"Damn it." He cursed as he collided with the ground. Akina landed on the ground a smirk set in place as her clones disappeared. Darui stood slowly, his gaze fixing on her. Omoi looked at Darui, his eyes widening.

"Uh oh…he's mad." He whispered. Quickly Darui made hand signs.

"Water Style! Deadly Tsunami!" He yelled, a hundred foot high wave moving quickly towards Akina. "Lighting Style! Electric Charge!" He called right after, charging the water with a dangerous amount of electricity.

Akina also made hand signs. "Fire Style! Dragon Flame Bomb!" She yelled, sucking in breath and using it to blow out the chakra infused with the carbon dioxide. It hit the enormous wave just as it crashed, making the field covered in steam. This did not stop the electricity though, which carried it current into the steam. Electrifying Akina almost instantly. She gasped, feeling the painful surge go through her body, immobilizing her.

"Damn…it…" She cursed, her knees giving out. The steam cleared as Darui undid the jutsu, revealing Akina on the floor.

"I win." He said standing over her. Akina glared, forcing her body to look up at him. She saw his figure retreating.

_Come on. Come on! _She urged her body to move. She struggled, willing her body to pick itself back up. She grunted, attempting to move, but her body wouldn't budge.

_Never give up…_

She gasped, hearing the second voice from her memory.

_Wakana…_

She urged her body to move again, trying harder. Darui looked over his shoulder, watching her struggle.

"Give up already." He said, turning around.

"No!" She yelled. "Get back over here! I'm not done yet!" She yelled, moving her body to a kneeling position. Omoi appeared next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She smacked it away. "I'm not done yet." She snapped, forcing her body to stand.

Darui's eyes widened, never has he seen anyone get up after being shocked by his jutsu. Raikage and C remained where they were, watching in surprise as she stood. She moved a step, limping her way over to Darui with a kunai in her hand.

"I won't loose! I refuse!" She yelled, throwing the kunai. Her muscles did not work enough for it to go far; it landed a few feet away from Darui, who still watched her with surprised eyes.

"Haruka!" Raikage bellowed, making his way over to her and Darui. "I've seen enough." He said, her knees gave out again but Omoi caught her this time. "Omoi take her to the medical corps." He ordered. "Darui, C…come along."

Akina watched them disappear, her world cracking slightly as she saw her only chance to see Gaara again disappear. Omoi watched Akina's face sadden, a pang of sadness also hitting his heart as he watched her sink into confinement again, just like the first time she arrived here.

"Let's go Kin…" He said, picking her up and carrying her off to the medical corps. Akina said nothing, sinking into her own world.

_I…_

_Failed. _

At the Tower Darui sat at the window ledge, quietly looking out into the village. All his thoughts were on the battle…never had someone stood after being hit with his combo, nor have many been able to block his blade. So how could she?

"Darui!" Raikage yelled, snapping the Jonin back from his thoughts. "Are you listening?"

"…Maybe."

Raikage felt his anger boil and C sighed.

"There's a Summit Meeting…the Kazekage has requested it…we just received word about it."

"You fool! Listen to me when I speak!" Raikage yelled, moving to knock Darui on the head. Darui dodged, appearing behind C, who merely shook his head. Raikage huffed angrily, sitting down in his chair. C sighed and continued.

"He asks for the meeting to be in Suna and also something else."

Darui raised an eyebrow in question. Raikage growled, sitting up.

"He wants that damn girl to come as well." Raikage grunted.

Darui moved next to C, taking the letter and reading it over.

"So it concerns the beast sittings and it says they found something…and request her expertise on the matter." He repeated.

Raikage huffed again, a scowl setting in on his face.

"The cocky brat just wants to see his girlfriend again is what it is!" He declared. "Like hell I let him get near her and take her!"

C and Darui smirked.

"Seems like you've taken a daughter like approach to her..." Darui commented. Raikage's head snapped to his gaze. C backed away from Darui slightly.

"What he meant to say was that it would be beneficial for her to come! We could gather more information and…uh oh…" He said, watching the Raikage step closer to Darui.

"Darui…" The large man said testily. Darui stepped back slightly. He suddenly was thrown from the room through the wall. Raikage adjusted his robe, moving back to his desk. "I refuse to let her come!" Raikage proclaimed. "C, you and Omoi will look after her while Darui and I head to the sand brats village."

"She's not going to like this..." C commented quietly, walking out of the office.

No. No she would not.

* * *

**I Know these have been kind of short lately but I have a lot going on with school so I'll try to update really soon and long chapters will come soon. Actually I believe it's next chapter that's going to be long...well at least ten pages on word. **

**Oh oh and I joined Gaelic Football at my school! HELL YEAH I GET TO TAKE DOWN PEOPLE LEGALLY! 3**


	8. Strength of a Flower

**_See I made a longer chapter this time! Believe it! _**

_Previously_

"_I refuse to let her come!" Raikage proclaimed. "C, you and Omoi will look after her while Darui and I head to the brats village." _

_**Chapter 7**_

Gaara sat at his desk, reading over the mission reports of the day. The chuunin exams were coming up again and the gennin looked like promising candidates. One team in particular, however, worried him slightly. They had done well on some of the missions but their team work was lacking, and team work was the most important quality if they were to even get through the first two parts of the exam, this he knew from experience.

A knock on his door brought his attention away from the reports.

"Enter." Was the stoic mans reply.

Closing the door behind him, Kankuro handed Gaara the reply's from the Kages. Gaara raised his, what could be, eye brows in surprise and the quickness of their responses. He took them from Kankuro, reading them over quickly.

"At least some of them said yes." Kankuro said, already having read them.

His expression soon hardened when he saw the decline of Mizukage and the decline to allow Akina to come from Raikage. He sighed, putting down the papers.

"I'm surprised the Mizukage declined to come, she always favored you." Kankuro interjected, trying to get some kind of response form his brother. Ever since Akina left, Kankuro and Gaara haven't exactly talked much. In fact they rarely talked at all, except for those small occasions. Gaara kept his thoughts to himself now, talking to Wakana when she came to visit or hand in a report. But it was a short conversation between them, that it was. He really was never the same, but what do you expect when the woman you love was forced to another village because you couldn't defend yourself from the Akatsuki. He never forgave himself for that…allowing his family and himself to be kidnapped. Allowing Akina to put herself in danger so many times for his sake…

He felt weak.

Rightfully he knew she should have been a Kage…she should've been Kazekage in his opinion, but the council chose him because of his father and the demon, believing they could keep him under control. What they didn't realize was that, with Akina, he would always be under control. That was another fact that he saw that she should have been the Kazekage.

"I see…well prepare the guest rooms for our guests and their accompanists." He instructed. Kankuro nodded, turning to leave. A small frown formed on his face, Gaara again acting indifferent towards his family.

Around noon time Wakana walked down the street, heading towards the hospital to check up on Matsuri. Again the sun was reflecting off the sand in the streets, making the road sparkle as she walked down it. The warmth of its rays warmed her body from head to toe and she relished it every day. One thing she always loved about Suna since the first time she visited was the warm sun. Always so welcoming!

The doors to the hospital came into sight and she walked in quickly, smiling at the nurse at the front desk.

"Hello Miss Kurosaki!" The nurse greeted, smiling gently. "So nice to see you today, Matsuri-san is in room 259."

"Thank you and you can call me Wakana." She said, turning and walking towards the east wing. Many of the nurses smiled as she walked the halls, greeting her like family. It really felt like a home of sorts here. She was happy…that was until she saw Matsuri. She walked to the unconscious girl's side, feeling her head.

_She's got a fever…_ She thought, setting down the food she had brought. From her bag she pulled out a small thermometer, taking her temperature. As she waited for the results she began taking other vital signs, even though the nurses already took them she wanted to do them herself. Soon, she was done. Her blood pressure was fine, along with her blood count but her fever was over a hundred and she was sweating. Those were the tell tale signs of an infection…

She moved a table over to the bed side, sitting on the bed too take a look at the wound on her arm. It had only been a day and a half but it didn't look like it had healed at all. In fact, it looked to be eve worse.

"Wakana-san." She heard a quiet voice say. Wakana gave a startled 'Eep' and looked to the door to see a young nurse standing there.

"Yes?" She asked quietly, hoping that they hadn't waken Matsuri up, she needed all the rest she could get.

"Umm I have the results form the lab…" The nurse said trailing off as she handed it to Wakana. Wakana skimmed it over, reading the main details. "We have no record as to what exactly it is."

"Well let's start with it's a poison…" She mumbled, turning the paper over. A deep frown spread across her face as she read the other side of the sheet. It seemed to be a degenerative type of poison based on the acidity. Reading on more she found that all herbs they had did not work against this degenerative type, marking it as a new type of poison.

_Shit… _She thought, putting the chart under the clipboard at the foot of the bed. She dismissed the nurse, and closed the curtains. _If this really is a bad poison…then her feet should be the first to rot…_ She surmised, recalling on her previous dealing with poisons and what Sakura had taught her briefly. She pulled down the sheets, lifting up Matsuri's gown. It was a truly horrid sight, pus pimples on her feet, leaking slightly, the edge of her toes turning purple. A green glow emitted in her hand and she ran over her feet slowly, taking a more detailed look at the cell structures.

"Not good." She said, removing her hand.

"What's happened?" She let out another 'Eep' as Gaara appeared behind her. She glared, ready to scold him for scaring her but pushed him back as he came closer. He caught her discomforted gaze and pushed past her force, moving to Matsuri's bedside, he too pulled up the bottom of the night gown and looked at her feet. His head shot back up to Wakana, eyes widened in horror. "What the hell is going on?" He asked, his voice just above a harsh whisper.

"I…don't know." She admitted. They needed someone with knowledge about new poisons…they needed Akina.

**Kumogakure**

Akina sat in her hospital room, looking out the window at the bustling village. She really wanted to go outside now, enjoy the day and train more. She felt weak sitting in that room, weak and useless just like she had all those years ago. She's had to give up everything to save the world and now, she let the only chance she had to see Gaara slip out of her hands. She felt slight sadness now, and for the first time in a long time, clutched her necklace.

"Gaara…" She whispered.

A sudden knock on the door brought her away from her thoughts, and she turned to look who it was.

"C? What are you doing here?" She asked, getting up form her bed. She flinched slightly when she moved, her body still aching form the paralysis, which went away only a few hours ago.

"Take it easy Akina-san." C said, moving to a chair at her bed side. She eyed suspiciously.

"So what are you doing here?"

"Visiting…" He said, pulling out a book. Akina rolled her eyes, taking her place back at the window.

"Sureee." She said, looking outside again. A small silence over took them. C looked up form his book, knowing if he didn't start conversation she would eventually catch on that he was baby sitting her. Well…babysitting is what Raikage called it anyway.

"So the weather-"

"Where'd they go?" She asked, still not moving form the window. C's jaw dropped from shock.

"What- No! Who?" He asked stuttering. Akina turned her head now, giving him a _don't bull crap me_ look. "You mean Darui?" He asked, trying to mask his surprise.

"Alright I'll play along for right now…yeah Darui and Raikage." She said, turning back to the window. "I didn't sense them in the village…usually I can." She explained and again his jaw dropped.

"Raikage and Darui are out on official business for a few days…something to take care with the Daiymo. I can't tell you…you know how it is."

"Yeah…Well I'm going to get some sleep…you can leave if you want. I'm not going anywhere. Promise." She said sitting on her bed. C nodded and left the room, before he closed the door he whispered something to her.

"Even though Raikage doesn't trust you…I do." And with that closed the door.

Akina smiled slightly, closing her eyes and escaping into a slumber.

Several hours later she awoke, jumping up in bed she let out a gasp, clutching at her heart. She jumped to the window, looking down quickly. It was night now but she could see the shadow in the streets below, looking directly at her. She felt a shiver up her spine… an unknown enemy in the village. She squinted her eyes trying to get a good look but only saw his mouth. It glittered in the moon light as a crazed smile made it's way to the person's face.

"C!" She yelled. "C! Omoi! I know you're there! Get your asses in here!" She yelled, and said men rushed through the door.

"Akina! What's wrong?" C said, running over to her. Omoi made his way to the window and looked down.

"There was someone there! An intruder!" She exclaimed.

"Akina whoa, slow down." Omoi said, holding up his hands in an effort to slow down her speech. She gave him one hell of a glare.

"Stop freaking standing here and go after it!"

"Go after what?" Omoi yelled back. "Damnit lower your voice! There is no one out there!" He yelled, leaving the room. C looked over at Akina, watching her face boil with rage.

"C! Don't you sense someone in the village?"

He paused slightly, using his sensory ninjutsu. "No…Akina…there was no one there." He said quietly.

"Oh come on!" She yelled, her voice rising again. C quickly put a hand over her mouth.

"Shhh. There is no one out there Akina." He removed his hand. She stared at him, looking back at the window. She quickly ran over to it again.

"But I…I saw someone out there. He had this crazy smile and-"

"Akina…please go back to sleep." He said, guiding her to the bed. She sat down, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"C…you have to believe me!" There was a frown on his face now. "There was someone out there!" He sighed, moving to the door. "C!" She said.

"Akina please lower our voice!" He said, his own voice rising slightly. "Please Akina…there are people trying to sleep…no doubt you have woken them up."

"But C-" She protested, clenching her fists in frustration.

"Akina…if there was anyone I would have sensed them. No one can escape my sensory." And with that he closed the door. Akina groaned, flopping back down on the bed.

"But…I was so sure…" She whispered. "That was definitely a person out there…there was no way I could have mistaken that." She said, turning over in her bed. She stared intently at the window, watching it. Slowly she felt sleep consuming her, and she closed her eyes, falling back into a slumber.

Outside of the hospital, a dark figure stood on one of the roofs, unknown to either Omoi or C. A crazed smile took on his darkened features, his skin crinkling from what only could be known as severe burns.

"Soon…soon it will all be mine." He whispered. And then he was gone.

Akina awoke with a jolt several hours later, sitting up in bed. She breathed heavily, looking around her still darkened room.

"What is going on?" She whispered to herself harshly, grabbing her head in her hands. The nightmare she had experienced came back vividly.

Homes on fires, shinobi attacking shinobi, villagers being killed, it made no sense…why was she having such a dream? She looked out of her window then; the sun had begun to rise then. But something was off…the normal sunrise that she had come to know wasn't there. Instead the sunrise was a deep red…a blood red almost. No…she was almost sure it was. She got up out of her bed, finding to her surprise that all the paralysis had disappeared, and walked over to the window looking out. Something was off today…she didn't know what but she was damn sure something bad was going to happen. The sky was telling her this and she knew it very well. The last time she saw a sky like that was the night her parents were murdered in cold blood for reasons she still did not know.

"_Mom! Dad!" A young Akina yelled, running up to them. She was about four at the time. "Look what I found!" She exclaimed, holding up a small flower in her hand. Her mother smiled, bending down to see. _

"_Wow honey that's a nice flower! But you know…" She said, leading her daughter to a small patch of ground that looked to have fertile soil. She took the flower, digging a hole with her hand. Her father now came up behind them, bending down as well._

"_A flower as beautiful as you should grow and not be pulled out of the ground." He father said, patting her small head. The girl grinned as she helped her mother put it back in the ground. _

"_Daddy?" She asked quietly as they walked away, looking up at the taller man._

"_Yes?" _

"_Will I become strong like you?" Her father chuckled, bending down to the small girl. He put a hand on her head, his gaze turning to the flower and then back to her. _

"_Akina…you will bloom like that flower into something so spectacular that no one can match you." He said, giving her a genuine smile. He got up then taking her hand and they walked back to their house. Akina grinned the whole way home, the only thing on her mind was the flower that she would one day bloom into, the same thought was still present as she slept too. But…the next morning she was awoken by screams. _

_She got up quickly, trotting over to her door. She opened it a crack and wished she hadn't, as she saw her mother attacked in the hallway as she ran up the stairs. _

"_Mommy!" She yelled, running towards her mother. Her mother yelled at her, telling to stay in her room. There was so much blood on the floor. Her mother continued to yell, trying to get her back into her room. _

"_Akina!" She heard her father yell from behind. She turned around, looking for her father but only saw black, a big black thing coming at her. She was to frozen to move, afraid of what would happen to her. _

"_Akina get down!" She heard her father move and she closed her eyes, falling to her knees. It was silent after that. She opened her eyes after a moment and looked to her side, seeing her father lying on the floor, unmoving. _

"_D-Daddy?" She said in almost a whisper. There was no response. She felt tears in her eyes, and then turned to her mother. _

"_M-Mommy? Mommy please wake up!" She said, pulling herself to her feet. She shook her mother, trying to wake her. Her mother did not move, she looked at the kunai sticking out of her back, and then grieved. _

"_Mommy…Daddy…please wake up…" She crawled into a fetal position. "Don't leave me alone…I don't want to be alone…" She cried harder, her small body not understanding what was happening. She shook violently, tears streaming down her face. Soon she collapsed, unable to cry anymore. She lay, unconscious next to her what were her parents. _

_Anbu arrived soon, and carried the small child to the hospital. She awoke several hours later, surprised to see the sand colored walls of the room. Memories of what happened came back, and she hoped it was all a nightmare. The hospital door opened and she shot up form the bed, running towards the door. _

"_Daddy! Mommy!" She exclaimed, latching onto the leg of the person who came in. She looked up with tears in her eyes, having mistaken the pants for the ones her father always wore. She did not see her father, but instead a man she would come to know as Yashamaru. _

"_Where are my parents?" She asked, looking scared. _

"…_I'm sorry…" And then the small world she had come to know…was gone._

_A week later Akina stood at the grave sites of her parents with Yashamaru. She had never felt so alone in her life right now… She bent down, putting the flower they had found on in between the grave site. It was in a pot now, this way it would continue to grow. _

"_Mommy…Daddy…I love you…I promise that I'll become strong…just like that flower." _

Akina picked up her bag, her mind now made up, and stuffed all her clothes in it along with her ninja gear that had been left there. She was glad that people assumed that because she was paralyzed meant that she wouldn't escape the second she could move again. She slung her bag over her shoulder, opening the window quietly.

"Alright Raikage…wherever the hell you are watch out…I'm going to find you."

And then she was gone, taking off towards the gate in the morning mist. Leaving nothing behind she moved forward, intent on finding where the man really was. She wasn't exactly sure on where she was going but one thing was certain.

Wherever the Raikage was going had something to do with her and the beast, she could only hope she got there before more things began to happen.

Wherever 'there' was.

* * *

**Well it wasn't what I had exactly planned for this chapter...but i think it came out good! I hope it did... **


	9. Untrustworthy Tramp She Is!

**_Previously _**

_"Alright Raikage…wherever the hell you are watch out…I'm going to find you." _

_And then she was gone, taking off towards the gate in the morning mist. Leaving nothing behind she moved forward, intent on finding where the man really was._

**_Chapter 8_**

Akina traveled quickly through the terrain surrounding the village. She already knew that, by now, C and Omoi knew she was gone, so she had to move quickly. The sun had risen to about midway in the sky, telling her it was around noon.

Hunger made itself known soon and she decided to stop, figuring she was about ten miles away from the village and she definitely had some time before the shinobi would catch up. She opened her small bag, pulling out a rice ball and she settled herself behind a rock, eating silently in the shade.

After she was done she pulled out a map she kept in her bag, showing her the entire area. With a pencil she marked off the areas where she would find him, and since it was a day ago that Darui and Raikage left they most definitely could not have gotten far.

"Alright…time to get moving." She mumbled, getting up. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" fifty clones appeared before her and she ordered them to go off in the different directions she had mapped off and they nodded, heading off in groups of two. "Now…I guess I'll wait at the border." She whispered, looking at the last area of the map she hadn't marked off, making it the one she would go to. If Raikage was heading anywhere outside the village, he would have to get past her.

Or at least take her with them.

**Kumogakure**

"Did you find her yet?" Omoi yelled to the Anbu patrolling the village in search of Akina. They shook their heads, replying that they had not. Omoi growled angrily under his breath. He slammed his fist on the rail. "Damnit Akina! Where the hell did you go?"

C walked up to next to him, a worried look on his face.

"Where the hell could she have gone to C?"

"Wherever the Raikage is going…is where we'll find her." He said, jumping onto the rail Omoi noticed the pack on his back. "Take care of the village while I'm gone…I'm leaving you and Samui in charge."

Omoi widened his eyes, staring at C in utter disbelief.

"You're really going to go after her alone? At least take some Anbu with you!" He argued, but C would not hear it. He looked back grinning.

"Listen Omoi, I knew she would do this if the time when Raikage ever headed to Suna would arrive. There's no stopping her…so I might as well make sure she doesn't start any trouble." He gave a thumbs up. "I'll catch you later."

"You know when you guys get back-"

"I know…but I have a feeling this is the right thing to do…she saved the world once before so I think we should trust her to save it again."

"What makes you say the world is in danger?"

"Why else would she run off? She stayed out for four years Omoi, think about that." Omoi sighed, and C smirked, jumping off the railing and taking off down the roofs towards the gates.

**Outskirts of Kumogakure**

Akina continued towards the border, moving quickly. This was the only known way to get out of the area so if Raikage were leaving he would _have_ to come this way. She continued running, traveling through the mountain like terrain, and it wasn't too long before she found the border; a small bridge connecting what was the Shimo territory a frosty kind of place… It was mostly abandoned though, but it also connected to theLand ofFire, which was divided into providences for each of the four hidden villages.

The map hadn't been redrawn in quite a while, being that she found it in her apartment when she first moved in. Her map still had all of the territories mapped out; even the whirlpool country was still on it with the marking for a hidden village, which had been wiped out many years ago. She still pictured Naruto's face when thinking of Uzu No Kuni, theWhirlpoolVillage, and a village where the majority was Uzumaki.

She knew that the Daiymo of the Lighting Country, where Kumo was, also was in charge of Shimo and its neighboring country Yu, a snow like village. She originally though it would be best to travel through those countries as well, but then again she wasn't completely sure on where they were heading. With her luck her clones would find them in the Earth Country while she was sitting on the border between Suna and Kumo, which didn't sound too bad to her, but if Gaara found her he most certainly would not let her leave, which she wouldn't mind either but it would start a war.

Plus she knew Raikage hated Suna, so he would never step foot in its country.

Rustling in the bushes made her jump from her thoughts, and immediately she had a kunai ready.

"Come out!" She ordered, and expected and enemy to fly out at her, ready to kill... But it was actually the exact opposite. A short yip like bark came from the bushes and out flew an orange ball of fur. It flew at her and she was too confused to actually do anything because the next second there was an orange fox nestled in her breasts. "Umm…well I didn't realize they looked that inviting." She mumbled, watching the adorable creature bury its face in her breasts. She sighed, picking the creature out of her breasts, much to its disappointment, and set it down on the ground.

"Alright now go scamper along little fox." She said, turning around and walking away. It yipped again and as she turned around, this time it jumped on her head. She fell back from surprise, and landed hard on the ground. She groaned, looking up at the fox, who stared back down at her with big eyes. "…Okay." She said, sitting up. She picked up the fox again, putting it down on the ground once more. "Now this time when I say leave, I mean leave."

She backed away slowly, turning around and running down the road. It was a persistent little thing and continued after her. It began to get on her nerves now, and she began to watch him in a pattern he caught onto quite quickly. She walked briskly forward, stopped quickly and spun around, glaring at the little pest, of whom did not move, at least when she was turned around. Instead it merely cocked its head to the side.

"Alright you little pest…bring it on!" She yelled, disappearing into a tree. She sat on the highest branch, looking straight down at it. It followed her to the tree, looking up at her with big eyes of awesome cuteness. "Oh…maybe I should get- No! I can't give into the cuteness!"

It yipped and she felt her heart drop in sadness. She dropped her head in defeat, sliding down the tree. The fox looked like it had a grin on now and she glared at it, mumbling something about an evil ball of cuteness. She sat down on a rock, where the little 'cute ball of evilness' trotted over to her, cocking its head to the side.

"…Alright what do you want-" It pounced on her, nestling itself in between her breasts again. She smacked her face in annoyance. Here she was supposed to be tracking Raikage and Darui but instead she was being chased but a cute ball of orange evil that loved her breasts. She plopped backwards onto the rock, staring up at the sky while the fox…made a new home. She really wondered where on Earth those two could be.

**3 miles away from Akina**

Darui and Raikage traveled along the path, heading towards the border. Behind them was a councilman, whom the council nominated to accompany them to Sunagakure. Darui sighed as he heard the man complaining about Akina and how she was untrustworthy and then complementing Raikage on his decision to leave Akina in the village.

"She will only lead to trouble! In fact I think that little tramp will end up sleeping with that ignorant Kazekage if she came! Those two! I swear back in my day we would not go around ordering other Kages around as she did with you sir-"

"You will do well to shut your mouth." Raikage said, a bolt of electricity briefly swimming around him. "She _did not_ order me around. Are you questioning why I brought her into the village councilmen?" He asked, turning his gaze to the now quiet man. He quickly shook his head.

"I was only stating my opinion sir. Please forgive me if I said any disrespect to you."

"Good. Now hurry up! Because of your detour to the Daimyo's house we are a day behind! We haven't even reached the border yet!" He yelled loudly, walking faster.

"Sorry Raikage-sama, Darui-san."

"Hn." Was all Darui said, he was annoyed with this man to no end, all he did was complained with Akina in the village for the last four years it got worse. He hated her from day one, blaming her for his son Toshiro's death. No one spoke of what happened in the hideout, especially Akina. She seemed to have left the while thing behind her and leaving everyone else who knew nothing completely hanging in the dark.

They reached a clearing soon, and Darui looked around the area, sensing something off.

"Raikage-sama…" He whispered, but electrical current in the air let him know that the Raikage felt it as well.

"What now?" The councilmen, Yura, asked, annoyed with why they had stopped.

"Shut up." Darui commanded, tossing him a kunai. "I trust you to remember how to use one…you were head of Anbu at one point were you not Yura-sama?"

The man grunted, grabbing the kunai swiftly. "Yeah, I sense that too but it does not intend to harm from what I can tell."

"And what exactly can you tell?" Darui asked, intrigued with this.

"That brat followed us." He said simply, throwing the kunai at Akina's clone. Raikage and Darui's eyes widened as they saw the unsuspecting clone get hit with the kunai.

"Haruka?" Raikage yelled, ready to strangle the girl but as she hit the ground she disappeared in a puff of smoke. He turned on the councilmen. "How long have you known?" He grabbed the man by the shirt, lifting him up to eye level.

"When we entered the open area sir, I sensed her particular chakra signature." He said simply. "The little tramp is following us because she must know where we are going."

Darui remained silent, interested in the fact that she has been able to move freely enough and control chakra to get this far out of the village and make clones. She should have been down for at least a week, making it possible for them to attend the meeting and get back on time without her knowing at all. The most peculiar is that she got out of the village in general with C and Omoi watching her…maybe she really is as good as she seemed from their battle, _maybe better._

"That's it!" Raikage yelled. "Haruka!" He bellowed and took off towards the border after Yura said he sensed her in that direction. Darui watched Raikage taking off towards Akina, anger radiating off his entire being, along with Yura who also went after him, yelling something about this being annoying and all because of an untrustworthy tramp. Darui sighed, taking off after them, mumbling something about never having a dull day with her around.

Unfortunately for him, _dull_ wasn't in Akina's vocabulary.

**Border between Shimo and Kumo. **

Akina sat up quickly, sensing the disappearance of a clone. The information from the clone immediately entered her brain and she processed it all.

"Tramp!" She yelled, scaring the little fox nestled in her breasts asleep. It jolted up, jumping off her and onto the ground, hissing at anything that made her jump. Akina blinked curiously at the fox but then retuned to analyzing the information. _So they did go to the Daimyo's…sleep with the Kazekage? _

"That annoying bastard of a councilman!" She yelled but then realized what the information she had received meant. "They're going to Suna…" Memories of Suna flashed in her head and she picked up the fox, jumping up and down happily.

"We're going to Suna!" She yelled, making the fox scared for its life. The fox jumped out of her hand and onto her head, curling up in a little ball. Then it occurred to her. "Oh shit he knows I'm here…" She mumbled, slightly fearing Raikage's reaction. All she could do now was wait for them to come…but it never occurred to her _how_ she was going to convince him to let her come, and with the councilman with them it would prove to be extra hard to do so.

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well then I'll find a way!" She proclaimed, plopping down on the ground quickly, making the fox bounce off her head and, predictably, onto her breasts. She sighed, dropping her head in annoyance.

**Sunagakure**

Wakana walked along the hallways in the hospital for what had to be the third time today. She unconsciously dodged emergency patients being rushed to the operating room and nurses doing routine check ups, as she read the report on Matsuri and the results from the poison. She was making her way to the plant and herbs section of the hospital, hoping to gather any herbs she could to help dull the pain and maybe find a cure to the poison.

Since the symptoms in her feet were found, Matsuri had been getting progressively worse. She now suffered form high fevers, vomiting; loss of awareness, some paralysis and her flesh began loosing oxygen and blood. In essence, she was dying and quite fast.

Wakana has been working day and night since Gaara came to see Matsuri and discovered the problem as well. It has been about three days since she has gotten any sleep really, aside from the one or two hours when the nurses force her to do so. And by force…they literally had to subdue her by slipping knock drugs in her drinks. She wasn't very happy when she woke up but was at least rested.

She opened the door into the herb section of the hospital, entering a green house. She then walked over to a small table on which a large book, from theNaraclan, of which she recovered from the once Konoha village, lay. Pulling up a chair she opened the book, starting at A and started reading through the list of symptoms.

She spent several hours; practically pulling out her hair as she found no correlation between and of the symptoms and the possible poison it could be from. If she found one that was a possibility the nurse would come in to tell her of Matsuri's condition, usually a new symptom that would completely contradict the poison that she had found.

_Come on!_ She yelled in her brain. _There has to be something! Anything!_ She closed the book, reading through the list of poisons she had gotten so far. Pursing her lips she looked over Matsuri's chart again. There was complete silence in the green house as she escaped into her mind, going through formula after formula that could possibly lead to an antidote. Nothing was coming up.

"Wakana-san!" One of the nurses yelled running into the green house. Wakana jumped up, dropping the chart. "Matsuri's going into cardiac arrest!"

"Shit!" She yelled, running with the nurse to Matsuri's room. There was a frenzy of nurses and doctors in the room as they used the crash cart.

"Clear!" One yelled, putting the paddles onto her chest. Matsuri jolted in the bed, but nothing happened. Wakana ran in the room, ordering the nurse to step aside, she grabbed the paddles, ordering them to bring up the electrical current. They were hesitant but did as they were told.

"Clear!" She yelled, putting the paddles on Matsuri. She jolted violently but no response. The ringing in her ears from the heart monitor going crazy was driving her crazy.

"Come on Matsuri! Clear!" She yelled, jolting her again. There was a slight pause, and silence in the room as the two minutes that a person could survive without oxygen in their veins were up. Complete silence and Wakana held her breath.

"Come on…wake up!" She yelled and then she heard a signifying beep from the monitor. She snapped her head to the monitor to see her heart rate returning to normal.

"Thank Kami…" She said, putting the paddles back on the crash cart.

The nurses gathered around, doing a check on her vitals. They opened her eyelids, showing a bright light into them. They dilated as expected but something was off, they could tell immediately. One of the head medics walked to the side of her bed, putting a hand over her head she let a green glow emit, showing that she was searching her head for abnormalities. The green glow faded after a few minutes, and the medic turned to Wakana, a grave look on his face.

"She's in a coma."

Wakana felt her heart stop and her gaze snapped to Matsuri, immediately she knew the cause. Turning on her heels she ran out of the room, rushing past Gaara who was arriving for his daily visit. He sensed the urgency in her movements and dropped the card his sister had asked him to bring and ran after Wakana.

"Wakana!" He yelled, following her to the green house.

Wakana tripped on the way inside, knocking over the large book on the table. She scrambled quickly, picking up her book and grabbing the necessary herbs to create any antidote she could think of.

Gaara entered the room, confusion on his face as he watched her scramble about looking for herbs.

"Wakana…what's happened?" Wakana spun around looking at him, then shook her head turning back to her work.

"She's getting worse Gaara!" She said urgently, tossing the herbs onto the table and picking up the medical tools she would need to make the first thirteen antidotes she would give her.

"What do you mean worse?" He asked coldly, grabbing her wrist. He spun her around bringing her face to face with him. "Before you give yourself a heart attack tell me what the hell happened." Wakana took a breath.

"She went into cardiac arrest but we got her back but now she's in a coma." She explained hastily then wrenched herself out of his grasp to continue her work. Gaara stood frigid after hearing of his former student's condition.

"Please go. I must continue my work." She said coldly, deciding that if she is to work efficiently she must turn away from any emotion she was feeling now.

Gaara felt this and began to worry over her. He saw the circles under her eyes becoming bigger and he could only imagine that she had to have been working on this for the past three days without a break.

He turned around and left the green house, he made his way into Matsuri's room. Nurses left the room as he came in, having finished cleaning up the mess from earlier. He watched in horror as one of the nurses cleaned up blood form the floor, which she had vomited up before going into cardiac arrest.

"Matsuri…" He whispered, putting the card on her nightstand. "We will save you." And with that he disappeared in a swirl of sand, not wishing to sit in a room with a virtually lifeless being.

In the green house Wakana toiled over the book and herbs, stirring together countless antidotes and mixtures. She calculated and calculated but could find nothing with the sample of poison she had taken. She groaned, pulling at her hair.

"Akina…we need you." She whispered, mixing another bowl of antidote. "Please come back."

* * *

_ **Well Alright! How was that? Good? Bad? OKay? Cool? Some adjective of sorts? =] **_


	10. Unexpected

_**Previously**_

"_Akina…we need you." She whispered, mixing another bowl of antidote. "Please come back." _

**Chapter 9**

**Border between Kumo and Shimo**

Akina sat on a rock, a worried look on her face as she wondered if he would really let her come. She wondered at the same time why they were heading to Sunagakure, as far as she knew they had no business in Suna. But then again they really didn't tell her anything. The only reason he would actually go would be if a summit meeting was taking place, and there hadn't been one in many years. Not since the second ninja world war actually. So had Gaara called a summit meeting? It was the only logical explanation…

So, now the question was, if were really a summit, why they convening. Either something major had to have happened in Suna or a treaty is being planned. But she knew Gaara wouldn't immediately reach out for help unless it was a dire emergency. And with how long she knew him; dire emergency meant something along the lines of world destruction, treaty destruction, village destruction, war, or any of those really would lead him to have a meeting with any other Kage.

The more interesting question was why did the Raikage go? He hates Suna and greatly dislikes Gaara, believing him to be a pompous brat that has no idea how to run a village. That little comment always made her scowl, thinking that he had no idea how much Gaara had done for the village. But still.

It just didn't make sense, there had to be some deep emergency in order for the Raikage to even consider going to Suna. If it was an alliance perhaps then he would go but there were no sullen hints about that when they were talking and the clone, she knew, had heard majority of the conversation. Maybe, by chance, it was about what they were dealing with and her research. But Raikage again would want to keep that under wraps of sorts until she actually had enough information to present in his opinion. Right now she was only riding along with myths and tales about beasts and the Sage, which certainly was not presentable at a Kage Summit.

"Kira-sama…" She whispered the name of the Sage, missing its knowledge greatly. By now the Sage could have given her an answer about what the hell was going on but, she had no idea where the Sage was. She also knew that if they were going to stop anything they would need to find the new Ruranain, of which again they had no idea where he or she was.

Either way she was running to find light in a totally dark world.

She sighed, leaning against a tree while she went over facts again.

"HARUKA!" She heard being yelled through the forest and immediately she went on defense. The fox jumped off her head, landing on the ground and growling threateningly at the loud voice from within the forest. Akina felt a spike in chakra instantly and grabbed a kunai.

"Here goes…" She mumbled, bringing up the kunai into a defensive position. Within seconds after Darui, Raikage and Councilman Yura came through the trees. She immediately noticed the Raikage's spike in chakra and his form being surrounded in electrical chakra.

"HARUKA!" He yelled charging at her. Akina moved back just in time to avoid an attack. She grabbed the little fox as well and landed on a tree branch. She put him up on a higher tree branch, smiling down at him.

"Please stay here this time." She said, and jumped down from the branch, meeting the Kage's serious face. "Sir." She said, saluting him and then bowing. "I understand the violation to the contract I have committed…however allow me to accompany you to Suna." She kneeled on the floor. "You have my word that I will not try to stay."

"How can we trust a tramp such as you?" Yura scoffed. "You are nothing but worthless untrustworthy trash-"

"Silence Yura!" Raikage ordered, smashing his arm into a tree, effectively breaking it. He walked over to Akina, stopping when he was over her. She looked up at him, determination in her eyes. "You have violated our contract, broken regulations, tried to break into the archives, how can I trust your word?" He asked. Akina stared at him for a moment, contemplating all this.

"You can't trust her!" Yura yelled. Raikage sent him a silencing glare.

"I'm still here aren't I?" She asked, standing up. "That's proof enough that you can trust me…and every single one of those things I did was to try to protect this world. You gave me this assignment to research and find an answer, well that exactly what I'm doing." She said, putting her kunai away. "I was taught by someone very important to never go back on my word…well this is me giving you my word again." She finished her gaze unmoving from his.

Raikage was silent for a moment, but she felt his chakra slowly calm. She did not relax however; know one could tell what this man was going to do next.

"There is more to the reason why you want to go back." He stated. Akina's gaze faltered slightly.

"See she wishes to fulfill her own underlying wishes!" Yura broke in, catching both of their attention.

"I want to know the _real_ reason why you're coming with us." He said, his chakra fully returning to normal now. Akina paused for a minute.

"Because I made a promise to someone special that I'd come back…and I never go back on my word."

"You realize you cannot stay correct?" She hesitated, but then nodded stiffly. "Alright then…because I am a man of high emotions and I recognize your determination, I will let you come, but be wary of what you do." Raikage said, causing Yura's mouth to drop, figuratively of course. The surprise only stayed on his face momentarily, a trained Anbu never showed emotion after all.

"Yes sir." She said, saluting him. Raikage grunted and turned around. Darui looked at her and sighed.

"Can't you ever be dull?" He asked. She shook her head, grinning in the process. He sighed again and asked Raikage if they should send word to Kumo. Raikage nodded, pulling out a scroll. He unraveled it quickly and summoned a messenger hawk, to which he attached a note to.

"Find C." He commanded and the bird took off. Now then, we are about a day and a half late because of a certain council man and a certain girl." He said, looking at the two enemies. "We should hurry and get to Suna quickly, before the brat thinks we got lost."

"I can help with that." Akina said, moving forward. "Ever flown before?" She asked the group, who seemed to be interested in how exactly they would fly to Suna. A grin came to her face as she made a few hand signs and slammed her hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose!" She called and a puff of smoke engulfed her. Raikage stiffened and looked around quickly. Darui did the same grabbing the hilt of the sword on his back. A loud squawk came from in front of them and they looked in the same direction, focusing on two large hawks in front of them. "Raikage, Yura-sama, Darui…meet Kamina and Sojiro." She said, gesturing to the two birds.

"Ruranain-sama…it has been a while."The larger bird, Kamina said. Sojiro, who was next to him, squawked in what seemed annoyance.

"Would you mind taking us to Suna?" Akina asked, jumping off Kamina. The two great birds looked at each other, but nodded reluctantly.

"Of course Ruranain-sama." Kamina replied, Sojiro however, squawked.

"Why are we going to give them a ride eh?" It yelled and Akina glared at the bird. She was disappointed and somewhat irked that he was still had a pompous personality. It somewhat reminded her of Omoi…

"Because Wakana would want you to." Akina said simply, and then looked back at Kamina. "Also, it's Akina. Not Ruranain-sama, I am no longer the Ruranain." She said, but jumped on the bird's back. "Alright who's coming on with me?" The small kit from before came scampering out of the tree now, deciding it was safe and jumped on her back. She sighed. "You're going to follow me around now aren't you?" She asked it, to which the kit's response was a small tilt of the head.

"Haruka…" The Raikage said testily. "Since when did you summon birds?"

"Since I was ten, now who's coming on?" She said waving it off. He really didn't need to know about the secret jutsus she had…

"I think I might just walk." Darui said, making his way over the bridge. Akina raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why? You're not afraid of heights are you?" She asked, tauntingly. Darui looked back with a bored expression.

"Nahh I like foot travel better."

"Darui! Show some emotion!" Raikage yelled, grabbing the boy by the collar, he tossed him onto Sojiro, who squawked angrily. There seemed also to be an evil glint in the bird's eye, Darui looked somewhat alarmed and looked back at Akina.

"Kin…you sure you don't need someone on the ground?" He asked, mildly afraid of what the bird wanted to do. Yura silently jumped on the back of Sojiro as well, not all that happy with the fact she was coming.

"Nonsense Darui! Don't worry he's nice!" She said as Raikage got on Kamina with her. "Well alright then!" she yelled, pumping her fist into the air. "Let's go!"

Darui blinked, wondering why in the hell he had to watch someone as bi polar as her. Kamina and Sojiro, without warning, took off towards the sky, heading towards Sunagakure.

Somewhere off in the distance, C sat in a tree, looking at the two birds. A small hawk sat on the branch next to him, the Kumogakure seal on its message holder on its leg. Spotting the two birds flying in the air heading south he smiled to himself.

"Good luck…Akina." He said and jumped down, heading back towards Kumogakure. Un benounced to him however, a pair of eyes watched him as he descended, watching his every move as he returned home.

Sojiro and Kamina traveled fast through the air, passing through Yu and Shimo in a matter of hours. They were now hovering over the land of fire. Darui, who had now grown used to the height and speed, sat back and enjoyed the ride. Yura, however, was not. The older man sat quietly, watching Akina. Raikage however was having a conversation with Kamina, enjoying the bird's stories, stories of which Akina looked dejected from reality because of. She stared out into the sky, as if reminiscing something bad.

"Ho! So you battled that girl from the leaf and Sojiro eh?"

"Yes…it was a difficult battle and I was almost killed by Sojiro and Wakana-san."

"I see!" He said, nodding his head vigorously. "So what happened to this Wakana person?" He asked.

"She lives in Suna now…" He said trailing off, thinking. "Sojiro! Did you not see her a few days ago actually?" Said bird made a sound that resembled what could have been a scoff.

"Yeah I did…false alarm it was." Akina raised her brow in interest.

"Alarm?" She asked, intrigued by this. The fox that sat in her lap stirred from its sleep as she sat up. It looked up at her, somewhat annoyed but she did not notice, being that she was quite interested in this small development.

"Something having to do with a beast appearing…I know I left Wakana with Temari and some others and they kept watch out by the border in the land of Fire." Sojiro said, eyeing Akina. "You know something about it don't you?" All eyes landed on Akina now.

"…I know nothing about it actually." She said, looking back out into the sky. "I was hoping you would actually….but I guess I'll wait till we get to Suna." Sojiro eyed her for a minute but let it go. He really didn't care all that much about Akina…or humans in general actually. Akina continued to look at the ground, occasionally to the darkening horizon as well. Silence over took the group.

An hour or so later Kamina broke the silence from the group.

"We should descend; flying through the desert is dangerous Akina-san." Kamina said. Akina, who had dozed off slightly, jolted up.

"Desert?" She said and looked out over the bird. The kit jumped off Akina then, sitting down on the bird's back. Raikage grunted, muttering hateful words against the sand.

Below them was the beginning of the desert, a small grin came to Akina's face. Without a second thought she jumped off Kamina, who was still quite high in the air. Most shinobi might have hesitated from that height actually. The kit watched her jump off, and then turned to Raikage, in search of a new place to sleep.

"Don't even think about it rat." He murmured to the fox, turning his gaze to the free falling Akina. He sighed, wondering why she was so reckless.

"Akina!" Darui yelled as he watched her free fall into the desert. Raikage grunted, watching her intently as she fell. Yura jumped up, looking at her as well.

"She really is crazy!" He exclaimed.

Akina smirked, making a hand sign, she held out her hand gathering her chakra in one hand.

"Wind Release! Mini Sandstorm!" Sand whipped in circles below her; she collided with the jutsu, disappearing into it.

"Full of surprises that one…" Sojiro commented. Kamina looked over at him but descended into the desert. Raikage jumped off him, walking over towards where the small sand storm was dying down.

"Haruka!" He yelled as soon as he caught sight of her outline.

"Sorry sir." She yelled back, standing up from the soft grains. "I couldn't resist!"

"The top shinobi should control their will power…" Yura commented as he climbed off Sojiro's back, followed by Darui. "But then again…you are a former Suna shinobi so I don't blame you…" Akina's eyes narrowed, irked by this man. The small kit padded through the desert, already disliking the sand, and jumped up onto Akina's back and then her head. It growled at Yura also.

"Well doesn't someone have a stick up their ass…" She said under her breath, Yura caught it though.

"Excuse me?" He said, looking back at her. When she did not say anything he continued through the desert. "Arrogant tramp." He whispered, but it was loud enough for her to hear. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at him. Darui quickly put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a silencing look, that didn't stop her from glaring at Yura though. She was ready to whip off a string of swears at him but stopped. Yura smirked when he saw that from the corner of his eye.

"Let's get going…" Raikage said, his gaze moving between Yura and Akina. He felt like this was going to be a long trip. Akina turned back to the two hawks, shoving Darui's hand off her shoulder. She approached the two birds, who studied her intently.

"Thank you." She said, petting both of their heads. "Tell old boss I said hi." And with that the two were gone in a puff of smoke. Darui stared at her, watching as she walked back to the group. Darui walked over to her then, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on. We have to get moving."

"Yeah…"

Dusk settled quickly in the desert as they made their way towards Suna. The temperature dropped quickly too, making Akina colder. She ignored it though, something not sitting right with her. She felt like she was being watched by something…but she didn't know what. It felt like a slime crawling up her skin every time the hairs on her neck rose. Something was coming.

"Darui…do you feel that?" she whispered. Darui looked quizzically at her having not felt anything. Akina saw the look and recognized it. "You really don't fell anything?" She asked surprised. Maybe it was her nerves; the desert at night always freaked her out, even though she never showed it.

They continued quickly, not bothering to stop as they tried to remain on time for the meeting that was the next day. Even though the Raikage disliked the sand he would not be late for something concerning his village and other villages. Akina felt the odd sensation once more, like she as being watched again, except this time it was stronger. She put a hand on her kunai pouch, ready for an attack. Her eyes searched the ground as she continued with her group. It was utterly silent now; aside form the pattering of their feet against the sand. But it was too silent for Akina's liking, she got the feeling on her neck again and this time stopped moving.

"What now Haruka?" Raikage bellowed, being the first to notice her stopping.

"Something is following us." She said in a harsh whisper. She took off her back pack, setting it on a rock; it was the only safe place she could think to put the small kit. She then unhooked her kunai holster, taking a number of them out. She felt something getting closer.

"Haruka!" Raikage yelled, becoming impatient. Akina gazed back at him and the feeling she had suddenly vanished.

"Sorry sir…" She said, picking up her bag. From the corner of her eye she saw something suddenly dart towards them. She let go of the bag, yelling at them to turn around, and threw a kunai at the enemy. A screech sounded through the desert as the kunai hit its mark.

**Suna**

Gaara sat at his desk, reading over a few reports from the guard stations. It was very troubling to him as he read that there was still no sign of some of the shinobi that headed out in search of a missing shinobi. It had been early five days actually and with Matsuri still not recovering he could only fear the worst had happened to them. Angrily he slammed his hand down on the desk.

"Damnit!" He yelled to himself. He put his face in his hands, wondering if it really was a good idea to bring the Kages to Suna. He sighed angrily, looking up at the clock on his desk. It was close to nine p.m. now and sullenly he decided to head back to the mansion.

Just as he stood a feeling shot through him, making him immobile for a moment.

Something was in the desert, and it wasn't human.

He was gone a split second later in a wisp of sand. He reappeared at the mansion, materializing in the living room.

"Temari! Kankuro!" He yelled to his siblings, who were in the room in an instant. "We've got a problem in the desert, let's go." He ordered, and without a moments hesitation the siblings were out the door heading to the gates.

**Desert of Suna**

Akina flipped back, putting her back up against Darui as they fought against a large number of ninja.

"Why the hell are Suna ninja attacking us?" Darui yelled as he fended off another ninja.

"I don't know!" Akina yelled back as she kicked another ninja back. She looked back at Raikage and Yura who were fighting off the enemy as well. A second later the wind was knocked out of her by one of the shinobi. It toppled to the ground with her and she struggled beneath it. She looked up at the face, seeing the Suna emblem on his forehead. She got a look at the face then and gasped at what she saw. The pupils were white and glazed over. She quickly kicked her legs back, throwing the…thing…off her. Whatever that person was is no longer there.

Only a monster remained.

"Kin!" Darui yelled, alerting her to an enemy behind her. She growled in annoyance and threw hand fist back, hitting it square in the face. It flew with such velocity that it crumbled the nearby rock.

"Haruka!" Raikage yelled. "What the hell is going on?"

"They're not alive!" She yelled back. "They've been dead for a while, the eyes are glazed over!"

"That doesn't help!" Darui yelled as he pushed another away with his sword.

"Actually," Akina said, jumping over a group of them. "It makes it easier to finish them off…" She said trailing off as she pulled out a few kunai with paper bombs. "I don't think Kazekage-sama will mind too much if we-" She stopped mid-sentence, landing on a rock behind her. "No…" She whispered, looking at one of the dead shinobi that began to make their way towards her.

"Akina!" Darui yelled, appearing behind her. He grabbed her by the waist and jumped away from the group. "What the hell were you doing?" He half yelled.

"…one of them…she was one of them…" She murmured, over and over again.

"Who? Who was one of them?"

"…she can't be…" She whispered, standing up. Darui pulled her back down, shaking her shoulder and effectively, her out of her trance. He stared at, boring his eyes into hers.

"Akina get a hold of yourself!" He said quickly. She nodded and stood up, looking back into the group. She didn't see the face from before. In an instant they were surrounded again.

"Damnit!" Darui cursed, looking over at the Raikage and Yura who had their hands full. There was now way either of them could help the other, but the two seemed fine anyway. Akina looked around at the approaching enemy, unsure of whether she could kill her old comrades. Suna or not, she still though of them as comrades. "Akina!" He yelled again. "I can't use my combo in the desert, the water will seep into the sand and conduct with the glass grains…it'll paralyze us all." He whispered under his breath, trying to find a way to take them all out in one hit.

"Alright…" She said, closing her eyes. She came to a decision. "I've had enough of this." She said, making a hand sign. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She yelled as the enemy surrounded them both. Smoke surrounded them and cleared as quickly as it came. Akina and her fifty clones stood before Darui.

"Wind release," They said in unison, holding out their arms towards the monsters. "Mini sandstorm!" The wind picked up harshly, thrashing against the dead shinobi and destroying any visibility they had. "Finishing move!" She yelled, using the rock as leverage she concentrated chakra into her legs and jumped as high as she could at that moment.

"Ryuusa Bakuryuu!" Someone yelled. Akina's eyes widened as she watched the dead shinobi engulfed in a wave of sand. "Sabaku Taisou!" Came right after and as she landed the ground beneath shook violently.

"No way…" She murmured. Her heart stopped as the desert became quiet once again Darui looked behind them, watching as Raikage used the guillotine drop, taking out the, remaining dead shinobi. Akina did not move, she looked through the darkened desert, trying to make out the people that were slightly ahead of them. She saw no one. She then looked behind her, expecting no one to be there.

A pair of hazy jade eyes met hers.

"Gaara."

* * *

**I know I'm late! Gomen Gomen! I have SATs this saturday so i can't update for a week but after that I promise to update faster! Believe it! I hope everyone one had a rockin' Easter by the way!**


	11. Kyonshi

**I hope this isn't moving too fast! I'm trying to not move overly fast but I hope it's good! **

* * *

_Previously_

"_No way…" She murmured. Her heart stopped as the desert became quiet once again Darui looked behind them, watching as Raikage used the guillotine drop, taking out the, remaining dead shinobi. Akina did not move, she looked through the darkened desert, trying to make out the people that were slightly ahead of them. She saw no one. She then looked behind her, expecting no one to be there._

_A pair of hazy jade eyes met hers._

"_Gaara."_

**Chapter 10**

Akina's body froze when she met a pair of jade eyes. She found herself unable to move, rooted in place by his intense gaze. Slowly the moon came out of the small clouds it was hiding in, illuminating the area somewhat. She began to make out his face more, watching as his pale face became more defined in the dark desert.

Akina was unable to look away, feeling like she was going to melt from his gaze. She felt a small smile form on her face then. She felt Gaara move slightly and she knew he was going to pull her to him, but just as quickly the Raikage and Darui were next to her. Gaara forced himself to not do as he wanted and dragged his gaze away form her painfully. His impassive, stoic expression was back as he looked towards the Raikage.

"Kazekage." He greeted. "Thank you for the assistance, but would you mind explaining what the hell those were?" He half asked, half yelled. His gaze turned to Kankuro, watching as he lifted one of them up with chakra strings.

"One of ours Gaara!" Kankuro yelled back.

"Gaara…what's going on?" Temari breathed as she looked at the dead bodies that hadn't been crushed with sand. Gaara's frown deepened.

"Well?" Raikage demanded again.

"I…don't know." Gaara finally replied with his gravelly voice. His jaw tightened in frustration. Akina noticed how much more masculine he had become in four years; she couldn't help but smile again. His gaze for a brief moment moved to her and she saw the happiness in his features. Darui looked between the two, sighing as he realized how troublesome this was going to be.

"How can you have a Kage meeting, if this is going on in your desert?" Yura demanded. "You're council must be out of their mind to let a green brat like you do this while you obviously have a crisis going on!" Gaara looked back at Yura, a glare setting in place.

"I do believe your village is experiencing some troubles correct?" He said, walking over to Temari and Kankuro. "I called this meeting because we obviously have a crisis on our hands."

"Or is it that the great Kazekage of the Sand can't handle his own village?" Yura interjected, cutting him off. Akina glared at the man, moving to attack him. That was the last straw. Akina moved fast, avoiding Darui and came up right behind Yura. Yura spun around just as fast as her, catching her wrist.

"And you!" He said, rounding off on her now. "You and him are exactly the same! Maybe you're worse actually!" He said, throwing her back. She snarled at him, giving him a glare filled with hatred. "Your nothing but a-"

"Enough Yura!" Raikage yelled, silencing the man. "I suggest you shut your mouth before you get yourself killed." He seethed, making the man calm down now. The anger radiating off Akina did not calm in the least.

"Bastard…" She muttered under her breath. Darui watched as she walked back over to where she left her bag. She opened it, revealing the small fox that had now awoken. It jumped out, landing on her shoulder. By now Kankuro and Temari were standing with Gaara, surprise written on their face when they saw Akina attack Yura.

"She's grown…" Temari commented. Kankuro nodded, mutter something about being a total babe. Temari hit the back of his head and he received a silencing glare from Gaara as well.

"We should go back to the village now…" Gaara said, walking in front of the group. It took all of his will power not to grab Akina. "The meeting is tomorrow after all." He said quietly. Akina watched him, wondering in the four years she was gone how much he had really changed.

"Gaara…" She whispered, watching as the rest of the group continued towards Suna. Anxiety filled her then as it really dawned on her that she was returning home. Somewhere deep in her heart she wondered if this was really the right thing to do.

**Suna**

Akina gazed up at the city, her eyes widened at how much bigger it had gotten in the time she was away. Temari smirked, walking with her. Her gaze was filled with wonder as she passed by the large shops and homes.

"Wow…" She whispered. Temari smiled again, putting a hand on her shoulder. Akina now had grown to Temari's height, just being a few inches shorter than Gaara and Kankuro. "It's changed so much Temari…" She whispered, holding the fox tightly against her. It purred contently, happy it was receiving attention.

"I haven't really noticed too much but yeah I guess so." She said. "So tell me, how is Kumogakure? They'd better be treating you damn good!" She said, loud enough for Yura, Raikage and Darui to hear, earning a glare from Yura. Akina slowed down slightly, looking at the ground.

"I guess so, I mean it's not like here but it's okay…" She said. "I could've been better in the beginning but a contract's a contract." She said quietly. Temari frowned. "I haven't really gotten to train actually; I was secretary for the last few years…" She said chuckling. "I finally learned how to organize paper work so while were here I can help if you want!" She offered. Temari was taken back by how nonchalant Akina was about being stuck in Suna for four years.

"So…um…how's Wakana?" She asked quietly. Temari smiled, seeing that she was still just a bit shy. Her smile faded and she was about to tell her what was going on in the hospital but she got cut off by Gaara, saying he would be in the office with the group. She grimaced, knowing that eventually Akina would see Wakana, and she knew the encounter would be most unpleasant. Before she could say another word, Akina was being dragged up the stairs by Darui. The door to Gaara's office opened and they walked in.

"Megumi!" Gaara called, and a few seconds later a tall woman walked in, bowing to Gaara. "Megumi can you please show the council man and…" He trailed off looking at Darui, waiting for the man to give him his name.

"Darui."

"And Darui, their rooms?" He asked, sitting down in his desk. Darui raised an eye brow.

"What about Kin?" He said, gesturing to Akina. Akina looked up, letting the fox jump onto her shoulder again.

"I must speak with her and the Raikage." He said simply. Darui looked at Raikage, waiting for a nod of approval. He gave it quickly and the two left the room, following after Megumi. "I'm sure you want to know the status of our side of the investigation right away Raikage-sama." Gaara said, pulling out a file form his desk.

"I want to know what the hell I fought out there first Sabaku!" He demanded. Gaara looked at him, and then closed the folder.

"What you saw were kyonshi." Gaara said. "I have seen them once before when battling the Akatsuki, they used a reanimation jutsu to bring back shinobi…" He said, trailing off as he though of Naruto and Sakura. His skin boiled as he though about someone again using that jutsu to reanimate more people. It made him beyond angered. Akina felt the same, not wanting to have to fight any more comrades especially.

"Gaara-sama…" She said quietly, getting both Kages attention. "I wish to see the information you have on this…I've been doing some research on this myself, but I have only sightings and facts, nothing physical to tell you what has been going on however-"

"Would poison wok for you?" He asked, interrupting her. Instantly she raised her brow in confusion.

"Poison?" She asked, worry showing on her face. Gaara's face sadden when he saw that.

"Yes…" he said standing up. "Matsuri has been bitten by an animal that may be linked to the kyonshi…" Akina's eyes widened and she tightened her fist in frustration. "She's in a coma now and we're loosing her fast…would you take a look at her." Akina looked back at the Raikage for a moment, waiting for his approval. For the first day or so she would be sure to watch her step around him and Yura. He looked at her intently, but nodded.

"You got it Gaara-sama." She said, giving him her signature grin, the one she hadn't given in many years. He nodded, smiling on the inside at her unchanged demeanor. "I know the way myself so-"

"Get going Haruka!" Raikage yelled, making her jump slightly. "The faster you find out info the faster the meeting will go and the faster we can leave here!" She frowned at this but disappeared from the door way, leaving the fox behind, which trotted back into the room.

Raikage turned his attention back to the Kazekage. "Do not think I am unaware of you two, she may be in love with you but do not forget that she is _my_ subordinate now and will follow _me." _Gaara stared back at him. She still liked him after four years? Impossible…they hadn't seen each other so she must have let those feelings go. The small kit jumped up on the desk, settling itself on top of the folder.

"I understand Raikage-sama…" He said, gesturing to the seat in front of his desk. "I do have something I want to discuss with you first before the meeting…" He continued, putting the folder from before aside, along with the fox. He folded his hands under his chin, propping his head up. "I suspect that something of a much larger scale is going to occur very soon…would you and your village be willing to make an alliance?"

**Suna Medical Corps / Hospital **

Akina made her way swiftly through the halls of the medical building. She passed by many medical ninja on the way to Matsuri's room. She ignored he whispers and gasps from those that recognized her. She skidded to a stop in front of Matsuri's room where the poison specialists were taking vitals for the day. The stopped what they were doing upon seeing her.

"Haruka-senpai!" One said loudly, dropping her clipboard. Akina nodded a hello as she made her way to Matsuri's bed side. She was increasingly pale and looked almost ghostly.

"What's her status?" She said quickly, checking her vitals herself. The ninja were hesitant for a moment. She sent a glare their way, making them read off the symptoms quicker than the speed Wakana ate ramen. Akina listened intently, going over everything again in her mind. She held out her hand for Matsuri's chart, which she then read over intently as well. "Well would you look at that…" She whispered. "A new poison…" She whispered, putting the clipboard down.

She pulled up the sheets, checking over her skin for anything that could help. What she saw almost made her gag. The skin was covered in boils, her feet where no doubt decaying quickly. She doubted she had any feeling left in them. She quickly put the cover back on her, looking at those in the room.

"I want her in top quarantine!" She ordered. They hesitated again. She groaned in annoyance. "Do you want me to save her or not?" She asked, placing her hand son her hips in a defying manner.

"It's not that…it's just that you have to ask Wakana-senpai first…she's the head of the medical corps now." A woman said. At this Akina's eyes widened and she grabbed the women by the collar.

"Well don't just stand there! Where is she?"

"T-The green house!" She said quickly, uncomfortable with the close proximity. Akina nodded, running to the door.

"When I come back I expect her to not be in here!" She ordered. They nodded stiffly and began to collect the equipment. Akina nodded in approval and headed down the hall towards the green house entrance. She ran quickly, excited to see Wakana once more but also moving so she can get back to saving Matsuri. As she turned the corner she collided with someone, forcing them both onto the floor. Akina shook head, looking up at the person on top of her.

"Watch where your going!" The person yelled, holding their head. They opened their eyes and Akina watched as their mouth dropped. "A-Akina?"

"Hey Wakana…" She greeted sitting up. "As much as I'd like to sit and chat with you and catch up we have to-" She was suddenly flattened back on the ground by a hug. "Wakana…can't…breathe…" She choked out. The girl got off quickly, staring at her in amazement.

"You're hair is longer! And you got taller!"

"How the hell can you tell height if we're on the floor?" Akina exclaimed, helping her friend up. She grinned, setting her hands on her hips as took a good look at Wakana. "Hmmm not bad…" She said, looking the girl up and down. "I'd say more but I'm here to save Matsuri so want to help make an antidote?" Wakana's face hardened and it was then Akina really saw how much she was working herself. Her expression turned serious.

"None of the antidotes I made worked, I don't think there is a cure…" She said, gripping the small vile in her hand. "We're running out of time." Akina said nothing as she walked into the green house. Wakana looked back in surprise, her eyes widened further when she saw the expression on Akina's face. The determination like no other welded into her entire being, it was then she saw the new Akina.

"Well then we'll just have to make a poison to destroy that one won't we?"

"A poison as a cure?" Wakana whispered, truing to her now. "You're insane…but it might just work…" Akina smirked and began picking up the necessary herbs she would need.

A few hours later they were done, having created seven different poisons that could possibly destroy the one they were fighting. Along with it Wakana made the antidote. Akina nodded and picked up the vials, heading out the door.

"I told them to place her in the highest quarantine room they could by the way, it should help her recover." Wakana was in utter shock at how quickly she had come in handling this. She was amazed at her. They came to a stop outside her new room. Opening the door they were met by the remaining medics. Akina nodded a hello, glad to see they listened.

"How is she?" Wakana asked immediately.

"Nothing has changed Wakana-senpai." The woman form before said, saluting her. Wakana nodded and grabbed the first vile. The medics looked curiously at the vials and the girls. "Have you found a cure?"

"Nope." Akina said simply. "Were going to destroy the poison with another poison." She said simply, shock covered the faces of the medics in the room. Wakana smirked at her bluntness.

"But that's-"

"A brilliant idea." A voice said from the door. They turned to see Temari behind them. Wakana nodded a hello and began to put the poison in the intravenous. The medics headed out of the room. "Now what?"

"We wait." Akina said, stretching. "Now then it's about time I start-" Akina whipped out a kunai as quick as she could and aimed it at the person that appeared behind her. She was met with a wall of sand though, surprise showed on her features as the sand disintegrated showing Gaara. Wakana glared at the man, immediately hitting him on the head. Or at least attempted to anyway. She was stopped by sand.

"You idiot! This is a sterilized room! Dragging the sand that's been everywhere into here must be the stupidest thing you've done yet!" She exclaimed. Akina smirked, shaking her head.

"The Raikage wants you at the inn by dusk." He told Akina, ignoring Wakana's lecture. Akina sighed, looking out the window. It was around five now, she had about an hour till dusk.

"I see..." She said, stuffing her hand sin her pocket. "I guess I should start walking huh?" A sudden whack to her head made her stumble. She glared menacingly at Wakana, knowing she had done. "What the hell?" She exclaimed.

"You're going to leave like that? Without talking to me about your life in Kumo?"

Akina scratched the back of her head, grinning sheepishly. "I kind of have a meeting to attend in a tomorrow so…"

"It got moved back?" Wakana asked, turning to Gaara, who nodded.

"Onoki's not here yet." He said simply. Wakana eyed him for a moment, but then nodded. "I have some paper work to get to so I have to leave…" He said and disappeared in a whirl of sand. Akina glared and jumped onto him before he could disappear. She was gone as well, combining her chakra with the sand as well to travel with him. Wakana huffed.

"Fine then!" She yelled. "I'll talk to you later if that's how it is!" Temari put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're yelling at air you know that?"

"Shut up." She said bluntly, crossing her arms. She sighed a minute later walking out of the room. "We have about one day before we see results so I'll be in and out tonight I guess." She said, hanging the IV in the holder. "Oh and if I were you I wouldn't go in Gaara's office for a while."

"What makes you say that?" Temari asked, raising an eye brow.

"Just a feeling…trust me hun." She said, waving it off. She disappeared down the hall way a moment later, leaving Temari in the hall way. She walked into her office, sitting down in the small washed through her, they finally made head way with Matsuri's case. She rubbed her temples, tired, and looked up at the ceiling. "I guess someone really is listening…"

* * *

So umm yeah that was the next chapter! I hope you liked it! And it only took 10 chapters for Gaara and Wakana and pretty much all fo Suna to see Akina again! =D ...thats' actually really annoying... hmmm...


	12. The Start of Something Interesting

_**Previously**_

_**Chapter 11**_

Akina jumped out of the sand that swirled around her and Gaara. She landed on the floor of his office, breathing heavily from the amount of chakra that took up. Gaara materialized the same time as she did, a glare was set on his features as he watched her catch her breath.

"What were you thinking?" He asked harshly. "You know that you could have been transported somewhere else if you molded your chakra wrong!" He continued, staring down at her. Akina smiled slightly, seeing he was still frazzled somewhat by her actions.

"Well I didn't!" She responded, setting her hands on her hips. She laughed as he glared at her. "Four years and your still easy to annoy as ever." She said, smirking. Gaara rolled his eyes as he leaned on his desk. An expectable silence fell between them but Akina didn't mind. Akina sat on the window sill of his office, staring out into the large village.

"Suna's changed so much…" She whispered in awe, looking back at Gaara, who nodded. Gaara watched as she looked out into the village. She herself had changed a lot as well. She seemed happier as well.

Gaara was about to say something when there a knock on his door. Akina looked back fast, sensing a familiar chakra. She grinned from ear to ear when Kankuro entered.

"Kankuro!" She yelled happily, jumping off the windowsill. "You idiot! You left the office before I could even get to say hi! So rude!" She exclaimed, going to hit his head angrily. Kankuro laughed as he held her away with puppet strings. She broke away from those quickly and talked him to the ground. Gaara watched with mild amusement as Akina and Kankuro wrestled.

"Alright, alright!" Kankuro yelled, laughing as he pulled Akina up off the ground with him. "You're as hyper as ever." He said, standing up straighter. Akina blinked in surprise at how much taller he got. He smirked down at her, ruffling her hair. Akina growled in annoyance and slapped his hand away. He turned to Gaara a moment later, handing him a small piece of paper.

"The gennin list for the upcoming Chuunin exams has been finished Gaara, it needs your approval." He said, said Kage nodded and sat at his desk, pulling out a pen to sign and go over the names. Kankuro turned back to Akina with a grin on his face. "So when do I get to hear about your life in Kumogakure?" Akina grinned at him and plopped herself on the couch next to Gaara's desk.

"Where to begin…hmmm" She pursed her lips, closing her eyes in thought. "I'll start with my first day…" She said trailing off and then began to tell her story to the two, one listening eagerly, the other listening while working intently.

Gaara looked out the window, having been done for a while and listened to her story.

"And then there's my kind of friend Omoi," She said then, pricking Gaara's attention more than before. "He's fun to be around but is so freaking stubborn that I want to just hit him sometimes!" She exclaimed, chuckling. Kankuro also chuckled at this.

"So wait! For the last like four years you've been a secretary?" He asked, curious as to why.

"Yeah I know…kind of boring…" She said, shrugging. "I enjoyed it sometimes, but other times it was just…infuriating." She said, pinching the bride of her nose. "I mean seriously!" She exclaimed. "I couldn't even pull a single prank! Raikage had me under twenty-four hour watch!" She threw her hands in the air for emphasis. Gaara's eyes narrowed at the paper he was reading when he heard that. They should've learned to trust Akina, so why put her under watch?

"So it sounds like it wasn't that bad." Kankuro said. Akina looked at him for a moment and then moved to the window. She set her hands on the glass, looking out towards the village.

"It was bad at times but something just kept me going, even through everything that really made me…well…doubtful."

"Doubtful?" Kankuro asked, quite curious now. Akina looked from the corner of her eye at him and then Gaara.

"I thought I would never see you all again…I didn't hear a single word about Suna until just a month ago…I thought that…" She trailed off, gripping her necklace slightly. Gaara looked up from his paper then, watching her. She lifted her head up again, turning back to them. "My promise kept me going…it always did and will…" She said, smiling. Kankuro smiled as well, getting up then. Gaara stood as well, opening his mouth to speak.

"It's almost dusk; I'll take you back to the inn." Kankuro interjected before Gaara could say anything. Akina raised an eyebrow, ready to protest but Kankuro pushed her out of the office. Gaara watched as they left, for some reason unable to tell Kankuro he'd do it. The door closed with a soft click, there was silence soon after as he looked out the window. There was a reason Kankuro took her himself, maybe because he knew something was troubling him before Gaara knew himself. The truth was that Gaara was afraid…afraid that Akina had found someone else. He knew she didn't say anything but still…Akina also hid things from others. A lot of things at that…or maybe it was just because he knew she would have to leave again.

Akina and Kankuro walked down the darkening streets, a silence enveloping them. Akina looked back at the tower every now and then, acting as if she would see Gaara on the roof calling for her.

_Why didn't he stop Kankuro?_ She thought, looking back ahead of them. Kankuro watched her fidgety movements, as if understanding them completely.

"Akina…he's not mad at you." He began, catching her attention. "Look…" He said, stopping. He scratched the back of his head, trying to explain. "Let me explain…"

不安

_**The Next Morning**_

Akina rose form her bed groggily as Darui pounded on her door.

"Kin! Get up!" Came from the hall. Akina groaned, putting a pillow over her ears.

"Damnit Darui! Shut up before I kick your ass!" She yelled back, dragging herself out of the comfortable bed.

"Like you can…" Came form the other side of the door. Akina stopped moving, her eyes narrowing dangerously. She was not a morning person…

"_Excuse me?_" Came her reply. Darui sighed, backing away from the door as it slammed down. Akina flew off the door moving to grab his shirt, which she was able to do. "You're really arrogant ya' know that?" She snarled, gripping his shirt with deathly force.

"You're really easy to anger you know that?"

"Only when people piss me off."

"Good point."

"Can I finish getting ready now or do I have to send you through a hole? _Again._" Darui chuckled, prying her hand from his shirt.

"As if you could. I was joking around the first-" A chakra filled fist met his face, sending him through the nearby wall. He hadn't seen it coming, and then realized as he collided with the wall, she was a lot better than she led on. But then again…all women were nasty in the morning. Akina patted her hands, getting any dust off of them, picked up the door and put it on hinges, and padded into the bathroom to take a shower.

Minutes later the inn keeper came up the hall, making his way towards the roof. He stopped, dropping his tea, as he saw the hole in the wall. The particularly large sized hole.

"M-my inn…" He murmured, aghast, and then plain out fainted.

This would be an interesting day indeed.

Akina stepped into the hot shower, enjoying the small pleasure of warm water running down her skin. To her it felt as if all the troubles in the world could be washed down the small drain. She laughed at the notion; if only it were that simple. She turned the water off soon, and stepped out. The cold air hit her skin, creating goose bumps. She shivered slightly and grabbed a towel, drying herself off. As she turned into the mirror she let out a startled yelp, looking at the jade eyes boring holes into her from the mirror. She spun around then but saw no one.

"Gaara…" She whispered, tucking a small strand of her short hair behind her ear. _Was he really behind me? Nahh…maybe it's just me… _She thought, brushing what she just saw aside. Something inside her still nicked at the possible appearance of Gaara in her inn bathroom. _Would he really do something like that?_ She thought as she pulled on her clothes. _No way he would…right? _

She sighed, picking up her bag and clicking it so it hung around her waist. She opened her door and walked down the hall Darui following after her.

"When'd you get up out of the hole?" She asked emotionlessly, not bothering to look at him.

"When the inn keeper fainted form the sight of it."

"I'll fix it later." She said, making her way towards the tower. "You coming to the meeting?" She asked as she stopped in front of the doors. His not walking away was enough to answer her question. "Aright then…become as dull as a turkey on turkey day why don't you." He smirked at her expression of annoyance and opened the door for her. She nodded a thank you and walked in with him following after. "Any idea what they want with me?" She said again, breaking the silence as they made their way down the hall towards the large doors that she remembered as the council room.

"Just to ask for information really…no need to worry."

"Good 'cause I have to get back to Wakana and Matsuri, got to check on her progress."

"What did you do for her?"

"Injected her with poison." She said simply. Darui raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "What? A poison should get rid of a poison that's infected certain cells no?" She said as if it were the most common thing in the world. They came to a stop in front of the doors, Akina took a deep breath. "Here goes." She said and opened the door, now ready to explain anything she had to. Well…as ready as she could really be. She opened the door hesitantly as saw all eyes turn to her and Darui.

_Did they start already?_ Was the question that rang through her mind.

"Hello Miss Haruka." One of the council men greeted. Akina recognized him as one of the Suna members. She smiled at him.

"Hello."

"Right then." One of the Iwa members said, standing up. "Since all are present we shall begin." Akina watched the man curiously, then her eyes moved over the three Kages that were present. Half of her conscience expected to see Naruto among the crowd, a place he deserved a long time ago. Her eyes saddened when the memory of him entered her mind.

"I believe it is every ones understanding as to why we are all exactly here." The man began, looking to the faces of all in the room. "It is possible that the Akatsuki have returned, the sightings of the kyonshi are proof enough of that…" He said. Akina shook her head.

"If I were you I wouldn't jump to such conclusions, I took them out myself. They would be too foolish to make a move when they know I'm alive." Akina said, interrupting the man. She coughed then. "What I mean is, no disrespect, but I think you're wrong."

"Oh?" The council man asked, intrigued to hear this small brats explanation. He saw her as nothing but a green brat, sharing the same ideals of the Tschuikage.

"If it were the Akatsuki, then don't you think the tailed beasts would be acting up again? Hm?" She asked, stating what would make obvious sense to her and hopefully the others.

"And what makes you such an expert? You don't even have your powers anymore!" Yura interjected, defending the other council member. Akina looked at Yura for a brief moment.

"As I was saying…I think I have a small clue as to what this is."

The other council members sat up in their chairs now, some leaning forward on the large table. The Raikage raised an eyebrow.

"Go on Haruka." He ordered.

"Well…let me tell you a story…" She began, sitting back in her chair. "A legend actually…"

"Now all our research is being pointed to a legend that's probably not true."

"Probably not true?" Akina asked, raising an eyebrow. "The Sage of the Six Paths was a legend that was probably not true…oh wait…no, no it was true, after all she was inside me for my whole life up until four years ago."

"So where is she now."

"I'm going to get to that in a moment."

"Haruka!" Raikage boomed. "Is this really all relevant to our issue."

"Yes…actually it might just give us a better look into it." She explained, standing up now.

"So what is it? Get it out!"

"Jeez!" She exclaimed. "Edgy today are we?"

"_Haruka…_" Raikage said testily. She held her hand sup in mock defeat.

"Alright, fine…" She said, leaning against the table. Gaara sat straighter now, watching her every move.

"_It's a curse." _

* * *

**_I'm sorry it's so short but I've got so many projects and finals coming up and ACTs now...SAVE ME! I promise I'll try to update soon and yes, very soon there will be some fluff. Promise! Dattebayo! _**


	13. Resonance

**Chapter 12**

Akina leaned against the wall, observing the faces of the council men and Kages before her.

"A curse?" One from the Kirigakure council asked. Although the Mizukage could not be present she was able to send a replacement of sorts. Akina bit the inside of her cheek slightly in thought. She closed her eyes for a moment and got away from the wall.

"Yes of sorts…it goes back to the time when the Sage of the Six Paths was a human and walked the planet." She explained, standing in front of the long table where the council men sat. She caught the eyes of the Raikage, seeing his interest sparked indefinitely. She looked at Gaara then, giving a small smile. "Kazekage-sama, you also know this story."

Gaara was hesitant, but nodded when he remembered the one she was talking about.

"Yes, I remember." He said. Akina smiled at the memory and looked back at the interested faces.

"If you'll listen and take as much as you can as the truth, I'll tell you…" She said, trailing off as she saw others sit up more fully. A sign of their acceptance for her to say this story. She nodded, and began to tell the story, flashing back at the same time to a time when she had only herself, Gaara and a legend.

_**Flashback**_

"Yashamaru-san! I'm really fine I'm telling you!" A seven year old Akina protested as Yashamaru picked up the small girl and headed towards her room in the Kazekage mansion.

"Now, now Miss Akina," Yashamaru said as he put the injured girl in her bed. "you are staying in the Kazekage's tower so I will also be your caretaker." The girl pouted as she bounced on the soft bed. Yashamaru smiled slightly as he too sat on the bed. "Now then…what story should I tell tonight?" He asked her. Akina bounced up and down then.

"The one about the curse!" She exclaimed, Yashamaru chuckled, looking down at her.

"Alright, the curse it is." Akina cheered, and then settled down as he began. "Many years ago there was a great beast with ten tails, it was said that a great Sage, a woman of many powers and wisdom beyond her years sealed the beasts power in nine separate beings, creating the nine Bijuu…but…with the power created, a great curse was also brought to life…"

_Flashback within a Flashback…_

"_Kira-sama!" One man yelled, catching the attention of the Sage. _

"_What?" She snapped, holding up her hands as she continued to use the sealing shrine on the Juubi. _

"_We have an intruder!" He responded. Kira gritted her teeth in annoyance. Never could she get through one day without something going awry. _

"_I can't do anything about it right now! Send the guards!" _

"_Right away!" the man said, and soon she could here his retreating foot steps and calls to grab the attention of the others. _

_Kira's eyes flickered back to the shrine as she concentrated everything she had on the sealing process. Several minutes passed as she continued to create the bonding seals. Sudden explosions slowed her process as her eyes flickered back to the door. 'Damn…he's coming…' She thought. 'Come on…hold him off longer…' she pleaded as she created another seal, wrapping it around one the ten tails with her chakra. _

_Minutes passed, she heard orders being yelled from outside, but the chakra signatures of her comrades were disappearing quickly. _

"_No!" She cursed under her breath, moving one hand towards the door. She felt something with exceptionally large chakras move closer to the shrine. They were coming for the beast and she would not let that happen. Her closed, pointing the fist towards the door, the only way in or out of the shrine, and gathered lighting chakra in the center of her palm, containing it in the fist. _

_From the corner of her eyes she sensed something. Cursing under her breath once more she put down her fist and made a single hand sign. _

"_Shadow Clone." She said calmly, just as the wall behind her fell to pieces. Dust filled the room, blinded her and the clones for a moment. _

"_The Great Sage, trying to seal away the Juubi…" A coarse voice said form behind. The clones stood as the dust cleared away. Her eye abilities took hold then, activating a Sharingan in one clone and the Rinnegan in another and a third with the Byakugan. Her bloodline limit allowed her to create different blood line limits you see. The Sharingan is an example of this, as is the Byakugan and Sharingan. _

"_You've killed my comrades…" She whispered, not looking behind her, still looking directly at the shrine. "For that…you will die." _

"_We will see about that." He countered, running at her with a katana drawn. The clones moved forward as well, engaging the man in a fierce battle of taijutsu. One clone dodged swiftly as he brought his leg up for a round house kick. The clone countered with a leaf hurricane. But the man was quicker, and jumped up, dodging quickly and used his katana to slash at the clones with a speed like that of a cheetah. _

_But the Sharingan was quicker, trapping him in a genjutsu. _

"_Not bad…"He murmured, driving the katana into the ground. "But," He said, making a hand sign, his chakra level dropped significantly. _

"_He's stopped is flow." The one with the Byakugan commented. "Get ready!"_

"_I'm better!" He yelled, summoning his chakra and brining it to greater levels than it was before. He dispelled the genjutsu then. The real Kira, turned her sight on him now, pissed. _

"_Enough of this foolery!" she yelled and released her fist and with that a bolt of lighting hit him dead on. At least it would have. _

"_Doton! Earth Wall!" Came from the man. The ground beneath them shot up to defend the man, instantly deflecting the bolt of energy. Kira's eyes narrowed dangerously. _

"_Who are you?" She demanded, more than asked. A devious smile spread across the man's lips. _

"_My name…" He whispered, the smile disappearing. His bangs hid his eyes. "My name…" He repeated it, Kira's gaze, unmoving _

"_Out with it!" he yelled. The man went silent for a moment. Then broke out into a loud cackle, shooting his head up with a crazed look in his eye. Ear to ear came his smile, more psychotic than before. _

_A sociopath. _

"_My name will be known to everyone! They will fear me!" He yelled. Kira felt a energy spike in the room. "They will coil in fear when they hear me, Ikkaku! Begging for their lives to be spared!" The energy spiked once more. _

"_I will be a God…" He said, grabbing his katana again. _

_Kira said nothing, holding out her hand. A bright light surrounded her for a moment, when it retreated she held a staff in her hand. It jingled as she held it up. _

"_I will win!" He declared. _

"_You poor fool." She responded. _

"_Katon! Winds of Fire!" Red flames engulfed his hands. Kira did not move in the slightest, still concentrating on the sealing shrine before her. He whipped his arms out, sending blazing waves of flames towards her. She twirled her staff in one hand, creating a gust of wind with her added power from her chakra. It destroyed the flames upon contact. _

"_You will never understand." She said, holding the staff above her head. "You will never get the chance to come near me…Sage Style, Dragon's Wrath." She called as the man charged at her again. He jumped at her but was stopped by a wall of flames, they quickly engulfed him. He screamed in agony as the fire spread to his whole body, melting off his flesh. He dropped onto the floor, motionless. She watched him for a moment and then turned back to the shrine, looking intently at the eyes of the beast that had caused her so much trouble. _

"_You...are done." She said, holding out her hands towards the shrine again. "I cannot destroy you so instead…you will be with me." She made a hand sign then. "Eight trigram's seal!" The beast writhed in agony as it felt it energy being forcibly pulled out of its body. She then sealed it in a small jar, closing it quickly, effectively breaking the connection to the shrine. That was all the time she needed though. She closed the lid, creating an unbreakable seal on it. She quickly turned back to the beast, it fought against the chains formed by the trigram seal. _

"_Why so quick to seal it?" A voice came from behind her. She looked down, startled. Ikkaku slowly rose form the floor, still smoldering form the intense heat. "I need that thing." He said, utterly calmly, despite the fact that his flesh was black as night and falling off here and there. A crazed smile formed on his face. Kira heard the skin crackle as he moved the muscles. _

"_How?" She whispered in utter disbelief. "I thought you were-"_

"_Dead? My dear sweet woman…I can never die." _

_Kira snarled at the man, lifting up her staff. _

"_Final Seal." She said, pointing the staff towards the beast. She held her hand towards Ikkaku. "You will not interfere!" She yelled and gathered her chakra in her staff and hand. She released chakra from her hand, making it water nature now, and created a water whip. The whip lashed out, grabbing hold of him. "You cannot interfere now!" _

_She connected her staff to the sealing shrine through a number of single hand signs. Bright light engulfed her, except for Ikkaku. She began to absorb the energy from the Juubi, deciding to seal it in herself. _

_Ikkaku's wicked smile returned. As Kira began to seal the Juubi in herself, he disappeared suddenly in a poof of smoke. Kira gasped in surprise when he vanished and then when she felt two hands on each of her ankles. _

"_What the-No you fool!" She yelled, unable to move now. Ikkaku cackled as he felt chakra swirl into him. "You're body can't handle it!" He did not respond as he let go, jumping away from Kira. The seal finished a second later as Kira cursed herself for not being more prepared and for making such a stupid mistake. She felt the effects of the sealing immediately, the pain shooting through her chakra network as her chakra merged with the Juubi, becoming part of her soul. _

"_Such power!" Ikkaku yelled. "I am immortal now!" His skin began to heal quickly. Kira took a deep breath as she held her staff in the air, wishing there was a way she didn't have to do this. She closed her eyes, connecting with the Juubi. _

"_A sound soul resides in a sound mind…" She murmured, the staff glowing a deep purple. "And…a sound body." Her eyes shot open, now a deep purple. She disappeared quickly, appearing behind Ikkaku. The man spun around, holding up his katana to block her strike. They met with equal force. _

"_You cannot not win against me now!" He declared, jumping back. He made several hand signs. _

"_You do not understand the first thing about controlling such power! You will only injure yourself and others!" She yelled back, spinning her staff. Destructive winds came out of them, spinning dangerously towards Ikkaku. Ikkaku merely waved them off. Kira cursed, seeing that he had indeed gotten at least half of the Juubi's power. Combined with his high chakra level this would not be an easy match._

"_We humans do not need understanding! We need power!" He replied, lunging at her with his katana. Kira did a back hand spring onto the wall, using her staff to catch the katana and throw it out of Ikkaku's hands. Ikkaku quickly brought up his leg in a round house kick, Kira moved quicker though, dodging efficiently. "I see you are as good a fighter as they say." _

"_Power is not what we got me like this." She said, landing in front of the shrine. She made a hand sign and over a doze clones appeared. "What got me to this level was the will to fight." _

"_Will? Will power you say? What bull!" He cackled again, moving towards the clones. _

"_Yes!" She yelled, using one of the clones back to jump into the air, she called back her staff. "The will of a burning fire! The soul that resonates inside me burns with a sound mind and a sound body!" She declared to him, flying down at blinding speed. One of the clones came out of the ground at that second, kicking him into the air. Ikkaku laughed. _

"_Your petty staff will not injure me!" He yelled as the staff collided with him. He flew into the ground with deathly speed, crashing with a sickening crack. Dust surrounded him for a moment before he got up again. Kira landed in front of the shrine once more. _

"_But this will…" She said, holding her staff up. The shrine glowed red as blood seal erupted around Ikkaku. _

"_The hell?" _

"_Exactly." She said, moving her staff so it pointed at him. "Sage element, Hell's Seal." She called. Ikkaku jumped away from the seals. _

"_I won't loose!" He declared again, jumping onto the wall. Kira appeared in front of him, her purple eyes, glowing with power, connected with his before she hit him with the staff. _

"_Seal!" She yelled as she pulled the staff away, revealing the blood red chain that appeared. It bounded him to the wall, surrounding him in the blood seals. _

"_You witch! You will pay for this!" He yelled as the seal began to glow a deep red. The wall began to swirl slightly, eventually sucking him in. "I will return! You will feel my wrath!" Kira glared at the man, watching him intently. "I will return one day!" Was the last of the echoing voice she could hear. _

"_You may indeed…but I have something you don't...a-" And she passed out from exhaustion right then and there, finally feeling the full effects of the seal form before. In the distance she heard voices, her comrades that were still alive. A small smile found it's way onto her face. _

_Flashback in a flashback end _

"Okay Miss Akina! Time for bed…" Yashamaru said softly. Gaara had also joined then about halfway through the story. "You too Lord Gaara." Akina pouted.

"No buts." Yashamaru said before she could start. He scooped up Gaara. "Now rest up! Tomorrow's you're birthday ne?" Akina nodded, smiling sheepishly. Gaara waved his hand slightly.

"G-Good night Akina." He said before disappearing behind the door with Yashamaru.

"Goodnight…Gaara" She murmured, turning over in her bed. Her dreams that night were filled with dreams of the Sage, not yet aware of the chuckling voice in her mind and body. A soul resonating with her, waiting for the time to introduce itself and change the destiny of the world, with the will of fire.

_Flashback end_

Akina looked over at the Raikage, Tschuikage, Gaara and the rest of the council, all who were staring intently at her. She coughed, trying to break the silence.

"That might just be about what were dealing with right about now." She said, getting up from her chair and moving to the door. "Please digest the information, I have something to attend-"

"Hold up youngster." Tschuikage interrupted. "What you're saying is that some crazy evil fool form many years ago that was sealed in hell is basically trying to take control?"

Akina bit her lip but nodded anyway, not really sure how they would take the information.

"So what would you say the necessary actions would be first?" Came Gaara's gravelly voice, though it sounded more like velvet running across her skin. She fought the urge to shiver and simply turned back to the council fully this time.

"First I have to help make an antidote…that's top priority."

"How much time do we have?" Came Tschuikage response.

"I don't know…he might be here already." She said solemnly.

Yura slammed his hand on the desk, standing up abruptly. "

"How do we know all this legend bull crap is true?" He yelled. Akina glared at him.

"I'm here aren't I?" She responded.

"We need more proof than that! How do we even know the Ruranain was really real! You could have just been another Jinchuuricki!"

Akina snarled at the man unintentionally. She caught herself a second after it happened an mentally slapped herself. She sighed then, looking at the Raikage and then at the council. They wanted proof? Well she could give them some.

"What…I'm about to show you will prove that I was in fact the Ruranain." She sighed, holding out her hand. The men sat up eagerly, waiting to see what she would do. Light flashed around her, forming something in her hand.

"The first rule of being a Ruranain is to understand…a soul resonates with a sound mind…" She began, the light glowing red to show her mind concentrating on the aura in front of her. She gripped the light suddenly. "And a sound body." She finished, letting the light fade. Her scythe remained in her hand, shinning brightly.

"My scythe is part of my soul, the once soul that was part of the Sage…it is forever tattooed with the name of the Ruranain." She explained, handing it to Raikage, who glared at her.

"How could not tell us you could still summon that?" He demanded.

"I only could summon it recently sir…" She explained. "I didn't think I'd still have it."

The Kage huffed and she already knew she was in deep trouble because of this. She coughed slightly, clearing her throat. "I have to finish this antidote or at least try to find one actually…you may inspect it if you think it's fake…Gaara let me know when they're done would you?" She asked, finally making true eye contact with the man. Gaara nodded. Akina left, heading towards the hospital. The door closed with that and the council erupted in murmurs of what to do next. Yura sat quietly, looking out the window as he watched her make her way down the streets.

For once he could not disagree…she was impressive.

* * *

**Hehe I'm on a roll! And for all you soul eater fans out there...though i don't know why'd you'd be reading this if youre a soul eater fan but sitll...resonance? eh? eh? nice? yeha I'm way too tired XD**


	14. Bean Sprout

Chapter 13

"I think the youngster should head the project." One man from the Kirigakure council said. Yura snarled slightly.

"I don't think we can trust her! She disobeyed orders!"

"Actually…she didn't receive any direct orders." Darui broke in, defending his comrade. "She did what she needed to do." Raikage smirked, nodding.

"Although it pissed me the hell off I give the squirt some credit…she's more useful than we sometimes perceive." He added.

"But how do we know she will succeed?"

"Enough Yura." Raikage ordered, standing up. "As one of the council and head of the Anbu you should understand that we are pretty much at war with the undead."

"We don't have proof that that's the enemy." Another council man from Iwa chimed in. Yura smirked, seeing someone on his side finally. "She is a wonderful person…that much I can see…but Yura has a point."

Gaara gripped the bottom of the table with a deathly grip, trying to keep his stoic composure. How could they not trust her? They're all alive because of her and Naruto basically. Anger surged beneath his skin as Yura continued to berate her. Finally he couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you see the ground you're standing on?" He snapped angrily, sand slithering dangerously. "If it wasn't for her it would probably not be there!" Yura did not stand down, even as the sand began to spiral around both of them. Yura stood then, matching the Kage's gaze.

"Listen to me _boy_. I do believe that she had a part in causing all of this!" Yura yelled. "_She_ had the Rikudo Sage, _she_ had been targeted many times."

"_She_ sacrificed _everything_ to save your sorry ass! To save all of you!" Sand slithered around Yura, grasping him. The man did not fight.

"She let some of our best shinobi and my son die in battle!" He yelled back. Gaara stopped, staring at the man. Toshiro was his…son? Toshiro's face flashed in his mind.

Gaara closed his eyes. Yura stared intently at him. The sand that slithered around him, contracting dangerously, loosened in density.

"That…wasn't her fault." He said lowly. Yura stared intently. "He volunteered to fight with Mirai while I went after Akina…Akina did even know he died until later on."

Yura stared at the man, utter surprise on his face. So the brat had nothing to do with his son's death…guilt filled the man as he realized he tortured the girl for four years without really knowing the truth.

Humans could be so cruel.

"He died a true shinobi…" Gaara said the last part louder, releasing the sand around Yura. "You assume things too quickly…next time you look at Akina; look at who she really is…you'll see you're son again." Gaara said. "Let Akina head the project…she is the best person you could have for it…right Raikage?" Gaara questioned, his gaze shifting over to said Kage. The Raikage huffed, nodding reluctantly.

The other council men and Kage looked to one another, deciding then who their leader on this project will be.

"Alright Raikage-sama, Kazekage-sama, Tschuikage-sama…we from Kiri agree on behalf of our Kage." The council man form Kirigakure began. The Raikage nodded, having no objections to Akina leading this, for once having shown his trust for her. Gaara nodded his agreement. All eyes landed on the Tschuikage.

The old man sat with his eyes closed.

"Never have I let a bean sprout lead something like this before…but...she's a capable bean sprout…I agree as well."

Gaara smirked at the nickname.

"Now…who's going to relay the news?"

"I will." Gaara replied. Raikage raised an eyebrow.

"Kazekage…do not forget she is my subordinate…we will debrief her together." Gaara rose what would be a brow, but nodded anyway. "Now then…we have more to discuss, do we not Lord Kazekage?" Raikage prompted. Gaara glared, hating that the Raikage was making him seem like an idiot.

"I was just getting to that…" Gaara seethed, his good mood immediately destroyed. "In the event that this turns into something worse…something that endangers us all we should form an alliance." He said bluntly. "Keep no secrets to each other, help each other when needed…just like what was being planned before Akina took out the head of Akatsuki." He explained. The room was eerily silent.

"Who would head the alliance?"

"We would have equal decisions; there would be no single leader." Gaara began to explain.

"Why would we need an alliance if we do not know of the magnitude of the threat? It's a blasted waste of time." The Tschuikage grumbled. Gaara's eyes narrowed at the man, but he remained calm.

"Magnitude of the threat? What happened when we tied to handle Akatsuki without an alliance?" Gaara reminded. "All of our jinchuuricki were taken, that's what."

Akina hurriedly walked down the streets towards the hospital, formulas and antidotes running through her mind once more. A soft wind blew past her as she watched the people walking around. Deciding to give herself a break for a few minutes, and think for a while as well, she sat on one of the benches on the nearby corners. Across from her was the playground. She watched as academy students played joyfully, jumping around. A smile crept to her face as she watched them. For a brief moment she touched her necklace, feeling the details of the gourd that hung on the chain.

Akina absolutely loved children, wanting two of her own one day. Watching them made her envious of the childhood she missed, the childhood that was taken away from her.

"Miss?" A small voice brought her out of her thoughts. Akina blinked, looking at the small girl.

"Yes?"

The girl fidgeted, looking slightly nervous. Akina smiled at her, trying to help calm whatever nerves the girl had. The girl smiled hesitantly back at her.

"Have you seen a small fox?" She asked in a whisper like tone. Akina blinked, remembering the small fox that followed her all the way to Suna. But, after she went with Gaara she didn't know where the little scamp went.

"No, I haven't seen him actually."

The girl got a dejected look, sad now.

"Oh…okay….he's my friend so I was looking for him but he walked away with a man dressed like a cat." She said. Akina chuckled, knowing it was Kankuro. So the little rascal took a liking to him eh?

"Don't worry, I think I know where he is, I'll bring him tomorrow." Akina grinned to her.

"Is he yours?" She asked.

"You could say that…" Akina responded, scratching the back of her head. "Is there someone you could play with?" The girl saddened immediately.

"Not really…I mean…well…my parents have been away for a really long time, the Kazekage said he doesn't know when they'll come back…so I've been alone for a while." The small girl explained. Akina raised an eyebrow, intending to ask Gaara about this after her routine visit to the hospital. "I have a caretaker though!" She said, smiling.

"That so? Good." Akina said nodding.

"Yeah he should be here any moment! I should go actually; he doesn't like me talking to strangers!" She said, taking off down the streets. Akina smiled at the girl, happy to meet such a vibrant person. Sighing in contentment Akina got up from her spot. She continued her trek to the hospital, entering the large doors in a matter of minutes. She made it to the lab, finding Wakana almost immediately.

She grabbed a lab coat, a grin on her face.

"Let's do this." She mumbled to herself, walking inside the lab. "Update me." She said upon opening the doors. Wakana didn't even look up t know it was her.

"She's stable for now, no improvement though." She said, holding up a vile of blood. It was dark red, with a tint of blue. The cells weren't getting enough oxygen. "How'd the meeting go?"

"Alright I guess." Akina replied, grabbing a pair of gloves. She picked up a second vile, observing it. "Anything new happen, we haven't exactly had time to catch up."

"I got a boyfriend."

Akina nearly dropped the vile, staring with bug eyes at Wakana. Wakana smirked, looking at her expression. Akina grinned a moment later.

"What's his name, ID, address, record, and ranking?" She listed off as if it were something she'd do everyday. Wakana laughed, grabbing another mixture of antidotes.

"He's in Anbu." She said, adding the antidote to the vile. "He's the same age as me, kicks some serious ass."

"Well what's his name?" Akina asked excitedly, nudging her friend. Wakana growled, almost spilling the vile.

"Don't make me hit you baka." She warned, then sighing a moment later. "His name is-"

Her pager went off suddenly, catching both of their attentions. Wakana hastily handed her the vile. "Hold it up to the light for a moment, it's a different patient." She explained, looking at the pager.

Akina nodded as Wakana hastily went out the door. She watched her figure retreat, lab coating flowing from the pace she was walking. Akina smiled, seeing her friend still working like always. It brought back memories of the short few months she and Wakana trained under Lady Tsunade. Wakana of course trained longer since she went back to Suna. Oh the perils they went through. Akina laughed as she thought of Tsunade's addiction to sake and the monster strength she'd use to punch Naruto, herself, Wakana and almost Gaara one time through a wall. He had his sand so of course he was fine. The wall…not so much. She paused, putting the vile back down, her eyes widening.

"Sand…" She whispered. Ideas flowing through her head at rate she could barely keep up with. "That just might work!" She exclaimed, running out of the lab. She ran down the hallway, bounding in and out of traffic.

Speeding past all the nurses she rounded the corner, passing Wakana and almost knocking her over. Wakana stared at her retreating figure, confused out of hell. She looked back at one of the head nurses.

"I'll be back…" She said quickly and took off after Akina. Kami only knows what she could have come up with. She hoped it was damn good though.

Akina ran back towards the tower, passing in between villagers and shinobi. She received odd looks, but ignored them. Her breathing quickened as she began to tire out from the heat, forgetting how long it takes one to get used to the Suna heat.

Darui, who had finished with errands for the Raikage, came walking out of the dango shop. He was almost knocked over too as Akina buzzed past him.

"The hell?" He said, jumping out of her way. "Kin!" He yelled, going after her. Wakana appeared next to him, running after Akina as well. Darui looked at her. "What the hell is she doing?" He asked.

"Just when I thought this was going to be a dull day…" He mumbled.

Akina barged through the doors of the tower, scaring the secretary. She looked left, immediately heading towards the meeting room.

"Kin!" Darui yelled, running after her. "They're still having a meeting! You can't go in." He explained as she neared the doors, but it was too late. "At least knock…" He mumbled, slowing down. Wakana raised an brow at him, amused with how he handled her.

"You don't get it…if you want to get through the damn thick skull of hers you have to knock the sense in." She explained, leaning against the wall. "I don't feel like getting on their bad sides so I'm staying out here." She said, Darui stared at her, amused as well.

Akina barged into the meeting room, surprising everyone with her appearance.

"Haruka! What in the hell are you doing here?" He demanded. "this is a private meeting for a reason!"

Akina rolled her eyes, walking over to Gaara. Gaara stared at her, curiosity in her eyes.

"What exactly are you planning to do bean sprout?" Onoki, the Tschuikage, interrupted. Akina stopped, not expecting the name.

"I'm not short ji-sama." She said curtly. "I'm borrowing him for an idea." With that said she grabbed Gaara by the collar, and began to drag him out of the room. The Raikage's jaw literally dropped as he watched her do this. Gaara sighed, disappearing in a whirl of sand. Akina rolled her eyes when he reappeared in front of her.

"What exactly do you need?" He asked, raising what would be a brow. "This is a very important meeting…"

"I need your sand." She said bluntly. At this point Wakana and Darui entered the room. Wakana's interest perked up as she heard the sand part.

"Sand?" she asked Akina from the other side of the room. Akina nodded.

"Gaara…remember that time Kankuro, Temari and I got the flu?" She asked. Gaara nodded after a moment. "Do you know why you didn't get sick?"

"My sand got rid of anything in my system…" He said, his brow furrowing. Wakana's eyes widened, a broad grin coming to her face.

"Brilliant!" She exclaimed, moving in front of the room. "I'm sorry to disturb you all but we must borrow Lord Kazekage for an important matter." She said. The Raikage scoffed.

"What do you need him for that's medical?"

"Well I just created a basic cure." Akina said simply. "And I need carrot top's help."

She said, jabbing her thumb back at Gaara, whose eye twitched in annoyance.

"C-Carrot top?" He mumbled under his breath. "Since when was I a carrot top?"

Wakana snickered slightly. "Better than the time she dyed your hair pink." She mumbled to him. Darui heard this and couldn't hold in the laugh that escaped his lips.

Raikage watched this with new interest as he saw who the real Akina was. Yura watched this as well, sitting back in his chair and letting this transpire. The Raikage sat up once more, intrigued by this.

"You're using his sand to take the virus out." Onoki said, surprised at how smart this girl was. "And a little flu story got you to this?"

"Actually while on the way I remembered the fact that Gaara has never been sick."

"How do you remember these things?"

"I remember a lot of things…now can I bring him to the hospital and save the life of my friend?"

"Akina…" Gaara seethed. "_My_ council room, _my_ tower_, my_ sand…" He began. "What ever happened to asking permission?"

"…I think I angered him." Akina said, smirking. Wakana nodded in agreement. "Perfect! The sand will work better now!" She grinned.

Gaara now came to the conclusion that she really was insane.

"We were ready to break anyway, is that not correct Kazekage-sama?" Yura interrupted. Gaara nodded. "Then let's break now, I would like to see how well she handles this."

"We." Akina corrected. "Wakana, Gaara and I."

Onoki nodded.

"It's not every day we can witness bean sprouts such as yourselves accomplish this…let's see how well you do." The old man said, getting up. For once his hip did not crack as he stood.

Akina felt a rush of anxiety come over her.

What if this didn't work?

Matsuri would die… It had to work…there was no other way to solve the issue.

With no hesitation Akina turned back towards the door. Gaara made a move, ready to transport them, but Akina shook her head.

"I need your full power to do this…I don't know how long it will take."

"Alright." He said, walking through the doors after her. The rest of the room followed as well.

"Wakana." Akina spoke, not bothering to look. She had her hands shoved in her pocket, a sign of nervousness. Wakana eyed her, watching her reactions. "Where do we do this? An OR?"

"If something should happen to either one of them then yes."

"What if-"

"Akina," She said stopping. The group was in front of them now, continuing to walk. Gaara looked back, stopping when he saw them in the middle of the road. The others stopped, looking back at them as well. Wakana gave Gaara a look, telling him to keep going and they'll be there in a minute.

"Having second thoughts?" Onoki asked, Akina stiffened. She looked at the ground for a moment. A familiar voice floated through her mind.

"_**Listen to me child, you are the Ruranain…you can do anything you choose to do without hesitation…so are you going to let your friend's die because you were afraid?" **_

The words of her old friend, the Sage, flew through her mind. It echoed in the intensity of what she was saying.

"Well?" Onoki pushed, curious. Yura studied her, truly taking into heart Gaara's earlier words. Akina tightened her fists.

"A long time ago someone special told me I wasn't strong if I hesitated…to protect my precious people." She said, looking at the ground. "It made me realize that no matter what I had to go forward…so I'm not going to let a little bit of pressure scare the hell out of me _old man._" She replied, a determined smirk plastered on her face. "I can't loose to this, especially with these two helping me."

Onoki chuckled. Raikage watched her with interest; Gaara smirked, seeing how much she changed. And honestly…he liked it…a lot.

"Cheeky brat! I think I'm starting to take a liking to you!" The old man laughed.

Akina smirked, continuing to walk with the group of Kage's and council men.

Wakana watched from behind, really starting to see how much she's grown. Maybe all this was good for everyone.

Just maybe.

* * *

I know its been a very long time since I've updated. Apologies! Exams of which I'm still in the midst of and minus the badn stuff 'cause our show got cancelled...again. Sigh...well I guess now I have alot more time...that's good...I guess...

And I know it's short but I'm working on something big for the fluff that you guys want, it'll come...eventually...


	15. Connection

Chapter 14

Connection

The air inside the hospital was cool and somewhat calm as Akina and Wakana prepped Gaara. The other Kages and council men watched form outside, through the window above the operating room as they did this. Matsuri was already in the operating room.

Inside the conference room the three stood, going over the procedure.

"Akina, you're positive this will work?" Gaara asked, a little unsure. She gave him a half smile, not even sure herself.

"No actually I'm not…but we'll try the best we can." She said, giving him a small smile. She turned then. "I'm going to the bathroom before we get started." She said, waving. She walked out of the doors of the room, heading down the hall. She quickly opened the door to the bathroom, heading inside. Standing before the mirror she turned on the faucets. The water calmly ran through the faucet as she gathered some in her hands and wet her face.

"Akina…" She said to herself. "Come on, get a hold of yourself…" She dried her face, and looked into the mirror. She noticed the differences in her facial features now. They were more defined. Much more…stronger.

"_Do you really think you can defeat me?" _

She gasped, spinning around to meet the face of the voice from behind her. There was nothing but air however. She breathed slowly, looking around.

"_You've gotten weak." _

The voice rang in her head then. She grabbed it in pain.

"The hell?" She gasped, falling to the ground as she saw the room spinning. "Who are you?" She said loudly.

"_I am the darkness that lurks within the shadows of the world." _The man's voice announced.

"Get out of my head!" She yelled louder this time. The room continued to spin and she began to hallucinate. "Out, out, out!"

"_Fight for my side…I can give you everything you desire…" _She blinked as her vision swirled again, shaking her head side to side.

Akina's vision blurred as she stood, feeling the voice fade from her head. She stood, shaking slightly. A nurse came into the bathroom, having heard the commotion.

"Miss Akina are you alright?" She asked hastily. Akina breathed out, nodding slightly. "Should I get Lord Kazekage or Kurosaki-senpai?" She shook her head then.

"No…I'm fine…just nerves I guess." She replied, standing up.

"Are you sure? I'm sure Kurosaki-senpai would be happy to check you over." She replied, giving a small but friendly smile. Akina smiled back.

"I'm perfectly fine, I will be seeing Wakana-chan later so I will ask her for a look over after the procedure."

"Alright then Haruka-senpai, in that case I shall see you later, have a successful procedure!" She said, bowing. Akina nodded.

"Please call me Akina, the honorifics are necessary." Akina called as the woman walked out of the bathroom. She stopped, looking back. A grin spread on her face.

"Okay…Akina-san, I should believe you already know who I am…" She said a little quieter. Akina blinked, confused. The nurse chuckled, leaving Akina to think for a while. Already knew who she was? She looked a little familiar but that was probably because she was from Suna… Akina sighed, shaking her head.

"I've got a patient to cure…can't be thinking of this now…" She mumbled, grabbing her hair band and tying back her short hair as much as she could. She took a deep breath and left the bathroom, putting the odd incident that had just occurred in the back of her mind. She opened the doors to the operating room where Gaara and Wakana stood waiting.

"What took you so long?" She asked, going over Matsuri's vitals once more. She didn't bother looking up to see the small glare she was receiving. "

"Just saw someone on the way back is all, not like we're in that much of a rush ne?"

"True…so what exactly are we going to do now?"

"I'll explain inside, it'd be better actually if I just showed you." She said, walking through the doors to where Matsuri lay. The other two followed, still confused somewhat.

"Gaara…come here." Akina said, gesturing for him to stand on her side. He did so, watching her every move. She let her hand float over Matsuri, using her chakra to map out everything.

"Let's target the liver first, see how well we can do that…" She said, opening her eyes. She looked up at him, giving a small smile and grabbed his hand gently.

"Don't be nervous Gaara, trust me." He gave a curt nod and let her place his hand where it was needed. "Now…what did you do whenever you were in danger of illness?" She said, placing his hand above Matsuri's liver.

"I used the sand to expel any danger to my health…that's what we're going to do now, correct?"

"I see you're still as sharp as a sand needle." She commented wryly. He sneered at her, annoyed already. "Just listen to everything that I tell you ok? Concentration is the key."

He nodded, summoning his sand. It lightly crawled up him and onto Matsuri.

"Alright…now this is what you have to feel for…" She trailed off, letting her hand rest on his as she let her chakra mold with his.

The prickling feeling in his hand came back and immediately felt the poison in her body. He grimaced on the inside, the feeling being etched in his mind.

"Gently pull it forward with your sand…" She told him and concentrated on the feeling of the substance rising. Wakana watched with interest as they did this, studying the technique for future use. "Good now…my turn…" She said coolly. "You're going to have to lift your hand with mine since I'm going to pull the poison from her body."

He nodded, keeping a deep concentration on the sand.

"Wakana…she's going to bolt up…I can't give her sedatives as you know so please help hold her down…" She said. Wakana nodded.

"Shadow Clone." She said, and the clones that appeared held Matsuri down.

"Gaara…whatever you do…don't listen to the screams do you understand me?" Akina said, giving him a look. "No matter what you hear don't let go." She said, letting her hand glow a deep green. "We ready?" Wakana nodded, "Alright…here goes…"

She and Gaara lifted her hands, Akina blocked out everything around her, visualizing every inch of the organ and felt her way around collecting the poison. She began to pull her chakra back and immediately Matsuri's eyes shot open for the first time in a while. A blood curdling scream erupted in the room, nearly making Wakana flinch. Gaara shut his eyes, wishing not to see one of his most trusted subordinates in such pain. He blocked everything out from his mind as well, concentrating only on the sand that gathered around any remaining poison he sensed.

Akina breathed out slowly, pulling their hands farther away. Wakana held Matsuri down, keeping the girl pinned to the table. The bubble of chakra, poison and sand finally appeared fully as Akina finally got all of it out of the liver. She opened her eyes, breathing out.

"One organ down…" She said, looking over to Gaara.

"You okay?" She asked, letting her chakra travel briefly through his system to make sure he was alright and somewhat relaxed. His eyes snapped open as his concentration was broken. He nodded.

"Let's move on to the next one…"

"Akina…senpai…" Was the weak voice from the table. Akina looked over, leaving Gaara's side briefly. She leaned over to get a look at the poor girl. "You came back…"

"Yeah…this is going to hurt but I'm going to try to get this done quickly…you have to try to bear with me though." She said, rubbing the terrified girls head. She nodded weakly. "I….We will not fail you…I swear." Matsuri nodded. Akina looked back at Gaara, giving him a nod. "The next one we're doing is the heart…I'm going to numb it first okay?"

"Why…can't…"

"Because then I won't know if I get all of it, I need to get as much as possible form your heart and then create an antidote with it…"

Matsuri nodded weakly, and then saw Gaara behind Akina. Akina saw her focusing on him and she smiled.

"Yeah that's right, he's saving your life."

"Gaara…sensei…than-"

"Save it for later Matsuri." Gaara said, interrupting her. He gave a small hint of a smile. "Next time I send you out on a mission I'm personally sending some sand with you."

Akina chuckled, making everyone else around smile as well, everyone those in the observation room. Even Onoki smiled a bit as well.

"Alright…let's go." Akina said, moving herself over to Matsuri's chest. She placed a hand over it, sorting out the poison from the cells.

"Ga-" He immediately slipped his hand under hers. A small smile tugged at her face from the contact. She put her thoughts aside and concentrated on Matsuri's heart. "Okay you're up…" She said, and soon felt the sand dissolving through her skin. He allowed his chakra combined sand to gather the poison, bringing it forward. Akina sensed he finished and began to magnetize the poison and bring it towards her hands.

"Almost got it all…"

Matsuri began to fidget, whining in pain.

"Hold on a little bit longer Matsuri…just a little longer!" Akina said loud enough for the girl to hear. She looked at Wakana, making sure she had a tight grip. "Alright…" She began to pull her chakra back, lifting both their hands again. She did this one quicker, knowing that any long amount of time doing this would deplete both of their chakra levels but also risk damaging the chambers of the heart.

Matsuri erupted into a fit of screams, trying her best at the same time to not move. Wakana assisted her by holding her down even tighter.

Akina ignored it as best she could, now beginning to breathe heavily form the amount of chakra she was using. Wakana noticed this as soon as she pulled everything from the heart muscle. Immediately she sent waves of soothing chakra to heal anything that may have been damaged.

A bead of sweat ran down Akina's face.

"Next…" She said, dropping the poison into a bin. Gaara looked at her intently, sensing the depleting chakra. They moved to the lungs now. Akina breathing increased after this one, knowing she would need a break soon. She closed her eyes, and then felt something against her face. She opened them to find something obstructing her view. She lightly grabbed it in her hand, removing it. She looked at the towel, smirking at it.

"You always knew when I needed something…" She whispered. Wakana smirked watching the two move to the next organ; the kidneys. "After this, I'll make the antidote…"

"What about the brain?" The gravelly voice of the man next to her asked.

"Too dangerous…you saw how I had to handle the heart…the brains ten times worse…" She said, beginning the process on Matsuri's left kidney. Within the next half hour they were done with what needed to be done. Matsuri's conscience remained now, and Wakana spent the next few hours in her room, just happy she was alive.

The Raikage and Onoki walked back towards their respective rooms, silence between them. It was broken however by Onoki.

"Curious interaction between the green brat and that bean sprout of yours." He commented. The Raikage scoffed.

"Yeah, and it'll be the only interaction between those two."

"Ho? After everything you won't allow them to be with each other?" He asked curiously. In his village, the option of dating or being involved with any one of a Kage stature was accepted and sought after by many. "Those two…have a chemistry that I haven't seen since that Hokage and his woman from the whirlpool land."

"Still…the life of Kage should not be sought after, you know that very well."

"Indeed, but you wouldn't be one to stop someone you don't particularly have a liking to from that kind of life…unless however…you're taking a brotherly approach to this bean sprout, especially since Bee went-"

"Like hell I am old geezer!" The Raikage yelled, moving to hi the old man, who simply dodged. The land didn't go well for his hip though…

"YAOW! My hip!" The old geezer yelled, a loud cracking erupting through the halls.

And with that the Raikage slammed the door to his room shut, blocking out anything and everything that was occurring outside of the room. The mention of his younger brother Killer Bee, upset the Raikage deeply, leaving the man in a terrible mood for the rest of the night.

Down in the hospital Akina sat in the lab, working non stop on an antidote. She heard the door open and didn't even need to look up to know who it was.

"Hey." She greeted the stoic man. "Shouldn't you be doing paper work?" She teased, looking up from her work. She raised a brow, smirking at his annoyed face.

"Finished it already, bean sprout." He teased back, though it didn't sound it form his gravelly voice. Akina twitched at the new nickname. She threw an empty vile at him, which bounced off his sand.

"I. Am. Not. SHORT!" She yelled, angrily turning back to her work. Gaara couldn't help but smirk at her demeanor. His smirk got bigger as she violently grabbed a second vile and threw it at him at lighting speed. Still to slow for his sand however.

"Enough with the smirk!"

He chuckled at this moving closer to her. Suddenly hands flailed out, nearly knocking him in the head. He ducked, knowing his sand would not be able to grab it form the close range.

"Got it!" She yelled, watching the poison sizzle away on the scroll she dropped the antidote on. "It's done!"

Gaara smiled, a small smile but still a smile. Leave to her to find out something no one else could. "Alright!" She said hopping off the chair. Suddenly she felt herself become dizzy, and had to grab onto the table to hold herself up. Immediately Gaara had his arm around her, supporting her.

"That's great, but I think you should let someone else administer it, you've used up a lot of chakra…"

"N-No I can do it." She said, standing up on her own. She grabbed the vile of antidote, and made her way towards the door. Gaara sighed at her stubbornness and sent his sand to find Wakana.

In Matsuri's room Wakana sat in one of the chairs, observing Matsuri as she slept to make sure she was alright. She felt something coarse and grainy move up her leg.

"Gaara…" She whispered, confused to what he needed. The sand tugged on her ankle, telling her invasively to follow. Curiously she got up and quickly followed it until she found the two of them walking down the hall.

"Gaara you called?" She asked, looking over at Akina. Akina smiled, standing up fully now and stood in front of Wakana. She held up three viles.

"Add this to the IV, and keep a close eye on Matsuri tonight, she'll wake up in a bit from the feeling of no poison in her so it'd be best if you were there." She said simply, handing her the viles. "I'm going to sleep."

Wakana was speechless as she took the viles.

"You….made the…in that amount?"

"Just go put in the IV and blabber about it later ne san." Akina replied, amused at her friends' inability to speak. "You owe me ramen." She said before collapsing on Gaara. Gaara watched the content smile on her face.

"I'm going to bring her somewhere she can sleep." He said, letting his sand pick up around them and in a flash they were gone. Wakana smirked, turning and heading back towards Matsuri's room. It was finally over.

Akina and Gaara materialized in the room Akina occupied in the Tower. He gently laid her on the bed, watching her sleep contently. He smiled, and turned to leave.

Akina stirred slightly, making him look at her once more. Green eyes cracked open, staring up at him a moment later. He felt his stomach flip as the depth to her green eyes became even more defined.

"Hey…" She whispered, already recognizing where they were.

"Hi…"

There as a small silence between them now as she sat up.

"I should go…you need rest and-" She pulled him onto the bed with a smirk.

"Mmm I don't think I'll let you go…" She whispered, breathing into his ear. "Four years without you has been rough on me…" She felt him shiver, and a smug smirk made its way to her features. It was wiped off a second later when he flipped her, smashing his lips on hers.

She responded eagerly, grinding into him and effectively eliciting a moan out of both of them.

"Akina…" He breathed in between kisses.

This time she flipped him, straddling him as she broke the kiss.

"Gaara, I've been away from you for too long…" She whispered bending over and kissing down his jaw.

"It's been too long…" He said, grinding into her this time. She moaned, rubbing against him wantonly. His hand made its way up her shirt, gripping the underside of her breast. She gasped at the feeling of his touch.

"Gaara…" She said, grabbing his attention as she pulled away. "As much as I would love and I mean I really would you have no idea…" She said, still out of breath. "Everyone will hear us…you know that won't go over well…" She pointed out. He sighed, knowing she was right.

"I wasn't going to go that far…" He protested.

"I didn't say you would…now you know me and when I get into something I can't pull away…" She reminded, smirking mischievously. A chuckle came form him as he rolled his eyes at her demeanor.

"Some things never change." He commented, receiving a thumbs up from her as he supported himself on his elbows.

"The other reason I stopped is because I know for a fact you do not have a single bit of protection for such activities on you and I really would like to avoid the whole child bearing thing since we're possibly fighting a really-" He sighed, cutting her off as he pulled her down by her shirt and kissed her again. When they pulled away she glared at him, playfully though.

"You're an ass sometimes you know that?"

"So are you." He reminded.

"Yeah but that's what I love about you so whatever." She said, smirking as she flipped off him and next to him on the bed. "Can you sleep a full night of sleep yet?"

"Sometimes…is that you're version of an invite to stay the night?"

"Maybe…" She teased, kissing him again. She felt a contented feeling wash over her and for the first time in a long time felt at home. She felt herself begin to tire once more from the exceptional amount of chakra she used. Sighing in content she leaned into Gaara more, kicking off her shoes and drifting into a deep sleep.

Gaara too felt himself falling asleep next to the person he wished to be with forever, a small smile graced his features as he drifted off, pulling her tighter against him.

* * *

**Hello! I am back and better! I hoped you liked this chapter and I'll try my best to make 'em longer and awesomer and yes...they're will be a lemon eventually. There ahd to be some kind of fluff in this chapter so I hope it was good =] OH and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! (To be however) **


	16. Missing A Sun and a Hunchable Surprise

Chapter 15

In the weeks that followed Matsuri's cure and the decision of the four Kages and council men, Akina had begun to travel between the four countries with a team made up of shinobi from the Sand, Cloud, Rock and Mist. They were accomplished Jonin, specializing in scouting, defense, offense and strategy. Akina lead it, now wearing the Kumogakure headband upon her head. Over the time she spent in each village she learned the customs and beliefs of each. She gained knowledge of her team, which slowly began to become a family to her.

Wakana was not on her team, being that she was the head of the hospital; however that wouldn't stop her from keeping an eye on things outside the village once in a while with Kamina and Sojiro.

Akina stopped into the Sand whenever she could, often just leaving her village now as she pleased. She would of course receive lectures from Shee and the Raikage when she returned but things had become less strict from her in Cloud.

In the time she spent in the Sand she had reconnected with her old friends and spent more time with Gaara as he had the keys to the archives and often helped her with research…among other things.

Currently Akina was on a solo mission, deciding to give the team some time off in their respective villages. In actuality, she was suffering from chronic nightmares and hallucinations. She was unable to sleep at times, becoming a part insomniac. Those on her team began to suspect such, but she waved it off saying she was just a little jumpy. Some accepted that, others that had become closer than the rest didn't fall for it.

Her current mission, however, was simple. Recon in an area that is believed to be the meeting ground for the kyonshi and, hopefully, their leader. If it was true that it was then she would be able to handle it in no time now that she had upped her strength in the last few months. She'd often spar with Gaara when he had the time and Wakana as well. Her skills were sharpened; almost back to the edge they were all those years ago.

As she stood now, in the area she was to recon, letting the last kyonshi from her fight fall before her, decapitated and mutilated, she laid her eyes on the opponent in front of her.

"And you…must be the leader of these monsters." She said, leaning her scythe against her back.

The man, shrouded in a dark red cloud stepped forward. From under the hood she could make out a crazed smile. Her eyes widened as she flashed back to the time in Kumo when she saw someone with the same smile outside her window.

"A leader you say?" His voice sent a wave of shivers down her spine. She recognized it as the voice from her nightmares. "Indeed…but what can a weakling like you do without your precious sage?" Akina froze as he lifted his hand, letting a dark ball on energy surround him. She recognized the technique and as quickly as she could she whipped her scythe in front of her, a dangerous look in her eyes. A second later however she was up against a tree blocking a second scythe with hers. This one was black as night.

Akina grunted as he pushed her farther into the wall.

"Who…are you?" She demanded. "Tell me before I kill you!"

"Kill me? Insolence!" She felt his chakra spike. She felt something wrapping around her, constricting her. "Fight with me…I can give you everything you desire." He said, leaning into her ear. She grunted again, pushing back against him. She raised her chakra level, finally pushing him off with her scythe. She attacked then, slashing at him with her scythe. He laughed, enjoying the fight as he easily blocked her attack.

"You'll have to do better than that if you-" Akina's clone came from behind, jumping onto his back. She smirked triumphantly, breaking away form hi as she swung her scythe, connecting it with his jugular. Akina breathed slowly as she felt her scythe rip his head off its body. Blood splattered on the floor, his head rolled. She let her scythe fall to the ground, leaning it against her.

An intense pain flew through her body, making her scream out. Akina looked down, seeing the black scythe from before sticking through her abdomen.

"Too slow." She heard from behind her. She turned her head, coughing blood, only to be met with nothing. Her legs gave out, falling to the ground. She struggled to keep her head up as she moved to heal the wound. "Petty little attacks like that won't work."

Akina grunted, standing up with her still bleeding wound. She healed the major organs but it was still a risk to her.

"Honey, stop fighting him."

Then she froze, hearing the all too familiar voice. She saw the man's face crack into a smile as he walked around her. Confused eyes followed him until a look of complete horror came upon her face as her gaze landed on the woman next to her enemy.

"..M…Mom."

The slim woman smiled at her daughter.

"He is the good side sweetheart, join him." She urged. Akina shook her head, backing away slowly.

"You are not my mother…" She whispered.

"Of course she is." Another voice said from behind her. Akina stumbled, holding her wound again. She winced, feeling it rip a bit more. The feeling left her body again when she saw the tall man behind her. "Now, come along my strong flower."

Akina felt tears prickle on the edges of her eyes as she backed into a tree.

"No…no…you're dead."

"Akina-chan!" Her eyes darted to a blonde headed kid, standing on a tall tree branch.

"Naruto…" She breathed. Her world began to feel dizzy.

"Akina! Come on and join already!"

"Get away…" She whispered.

"I'm sorry sweetheart what was that?" Her mother asked in the same sweet voice from all those years ago.

Akina sank to her knees, hugging herself.

"Get away…"

"Now, now, is that how my daughter acts?"

"You're not real."

"Akina!"

They kept calling her names, making her sanity sink lower and lower. All ideas and realizations of reality came crashing down around her as everyone one who died before her appeared to her.

"Who… are you?" She exclaimed, dangerous and confused eyes falling on the man in a cloak. The man laughed, and she felt as if she knew the voice. Slowly the cloak fell from his body, Akina trembled as she recognized him immediately. "No…no way."

"Akina…" the man said, walking towards her. Her green eyes connected with familiar jade, creating an inescapable nightmare for her. She backed up, crawling through the bushes as he wound opened once more. Blood spilled from her body at a slow antagonizing rate as she felt her heart hammering in her body. She heard the continuous calls from everyone she held dear to her.

"Help…" She whispered, falling against a tree limb. "Someone, please…" She begged, curling up into a little ball.

"Akina!" She heard someone yell. She jackknifed up from her spot, a cold sweat on her forehead. She looked around frantically, not even noticing the person who woke her up from the horrible nightmare. Said person watched her as she freaked out from what was obviously a horrible hallucination. Finally Akina laid her gaze on the person who saved her.

"Satoshi…" She said, looking at the short boy with spiky brown hair and blue eyes. The boy sighed, standing up. His gaze matched hers in height perfectly.

"You need help, _now_." He said, grabbing her arm. Akina stepped out of his reach, grabbing his wrist.

"I just had a bad dream is all." She said in her commanding officer tone.

"Bad dream my ass, you saw your parents." He said. Akina stiffened.

"Big deal."

"Very big deal." He said in a defying tone. "Ne-san is already on the way here to join your mission. There was new information on it so Gaara-sama sent us."

"New information?" She asked curiously, not particularly liking then way he said it.

"Yeah…you're going to need us probably."

"What makes you say that?"

"'Cause there's been over one hundred kyonshi sightings here, the information was misread, it was not ten but one hundred."

"Nothing I can't handle." She answered curtly. Satoshi growled lowly, grabbing the collar of her short and pulling her forward. He glared daggers at her.

"Listen here Haruka, you act so tough and all the while we can see how much you want and need help, so suck up you ego and actually fight with us."

"I refuse to endanger your lives."

"Damnit Akina! You don't get it do you? The new Ruranain must be here!" He said venomously. "You need to find them and you can't be bothered with the kyonshi! We know damn well you could take them out but you need to find the kid first!"

Akina's eyes widened as the obvious hit her. So many kyonshi in one area? Only one reason would make sense and that was the Ruranain. Satoshi let her down.

"But first we have to do something about your hallucinations and shut your mouth before I shut it for you." He said, stopping her from any retaliation. "Now look, Wakana came because we make a good team _and_ she wants to have a look at you."

"Yeah I get it."

"You can drop the act Akina." Another voice, female, said from behind them. "I can see your hurting." She looked at Satoshi, giving him the look to go off and find some information. Then she looked at Akina, pulling off her pack and taking out her medical supplies.

"Why do you and my brother yell at each other so much?" She asked, putting her hand son Akina's head.

"Because he catches me in a bad mood." She answered. Wakana scoffed.

"Well whatever, let's find out why you're having hallucinations." She said, creating a flow form her hands to Akina's brain with her chakra. Wakana used her minds eye, a special jutsu she learned from Ino as they were once close friends. He perfected it and now used it on psychosomatic patients. Not that Akina was psychotic…much. She stopped her jutsu for a moment, coming across a barrier.

"Akina…" She reminded, letting her know to let her barriers down. Akina hesitated but let her subconscious free, knowing she would find things no one else should ever see. "There's something in here the enemy has found out about and is using against you…" She murmured. "We have to find it and fix it."

Wakana stopped her flow of chakra and Akina already knew she found something. She felt her tense above her and just then Akina felt herself being dragged back to a time.

"_Sorry I couldn't get them to play with you Gaara." _

Akina and Wakana heard all of the small voices from her past, surrounding them in a never ending white noise. Wakana stared into the dark space, watching as the memories flew past. They surrounded Akina, who only had her eyes closed. Like a tornado they flew around her.

"Now you know my secret…"

"I had no idea-"

"That I was this messed up?" Her back was towards her now. "A lot of things happen in a person's life, not many are good."

"Akina…"

"You shouldn't-"

"Worry? They're going to use this against you! Why did you never say anything before!"

"Because…they're a reminder."

"A reminder? They're a hinder to your strength."

"You don't get it…." She sighed. "Inside here I'm a different person…"

"Who are you then?"

Akina sighed stepping aside as the room went from dark gray to white. Wakana looked over at her, and then to a corner of the white room. A small child hugged itself in the corner, no emotions present on her face.

"What happened to you?" She breathed.

"I lost too many suns."

"Too many….suns?"

"A sun for a jinchuuricki is the driving force behind them…they keep them from being devoured by power and the demon within. Many of my suns have already died because of me." She said, moving her hand.

"But then…what about all of us? Aren't we you're driving force?"

"There comes a point in someone's life where they are overwhelmed with guilt from the mistakes they've made…I've never gotten past that stage."

"Why?" Wakana growled, tightening her fists. "Why are you so guilty?"

"Because I couldn't protect you, I couldn't protect Naruto, Gaara, Toshiro, Mirai…my…parents."

"Damnit Akina! Wake up! You're not a kid anymore!" She yelled, punching Akina into the wall. Akina stood after a moment, wiping the blood off her face. A hard glare was set into place. "People die!" Wakana yelled, grabbing her collar.

"They died but we survived, we remember them! Just because they aren't standing next to you doesn't mean you've lost everything!"

Akina let the glare fall from her face, looking at the young, fragile version of herself.

"Wake the fuck up already. I know you're stronger than that, what would you're parents say if they saw you like this? Naruto? _Gaara?_" She whispered, setting her friend down. Akina stared at her, gripping the sides of her pants. "You have to let us in, and let it all out!"

There was a silence then as Akina slowly let go of the fabric on her pants.

"No…you're right." Akina said, finally calming down. Wakana stared at her for a moment hesitating before she saw the smirk. "I can use this…" Akina held up her hand, making a fist.

"Yes you can…let it out on the enemy."

"Yeah…" Akina looked back at the fragile girl before them. She bent down, putting her hand on her head. The smaller Akina looked up, surprise on her face. "Don't be so down kid."

The smaller Akina stood then, grabbing the hand on her head. Akina stood as well, watching the smaller version beginning to grow. Wakana smirked, watching as the two reached equal height.

"Hey."

"Yo."

They greeted each other.

"Shall we?" She asked, gesturing to Wakana. Said person nodded, walking along the path they had come from before. "Hold down the fortress bean sprout."

"Like hell it'll fall." The other responded.

Akina blinked, opening her eyes. She saw the outside world, smiling at the trees. Satoshi stood a little away from them, looking at the two of them. Wakana opened her eyes a moment later.

"I put up a barrier, no one can get through that." Akina nodded.

"One problem fixed…a bazillion more to go." Satoshi murmured, opening his instant ramen. Akina blinked, seeing Naruto take the place of Satoshi for a split second.

"We can handle it." She said, grabbing her ramen that finished cooking a slurping down the noodles.

"I'd hope you would be able to." Akina spun around, noodle filled mouth and all to look at the new arrival.

"Gaa-wah!" She exclaimed, jumping up.

Wakana snickered, watching as Gaara avoided the deadly hot water filled food.

"Did I forget to mention he was helping?" Satoshi said as if forgetting it. He shrugged. "Oh well…"

"You're terrible." Wakana commented, taking a bite into her rice ball. Satoshi grinned, continuing to eat as the other two made their way to camp. "Satoshi…sleep in my tent tonight."

"…Why?" The boy asked.

"Just a hunch."

"What kind of hunch."

"A…_hunch." _She emphasized.

"Like a hunch hunch or a hunch _hunch_?

"You really are an idiot…fine don't come whining to me later."

"As if."

"Baka."

Ahh family.

* * *

OMI FUDGING TACOS GAARA'S IN THE MANGA AGAIN! 3


	17. Old Man

**I'm aware I haven't updated but I've alot of college things going on. IM SORRY! =[ HERES A NEW ONE!**

Chapter 16

Gaara and Akina walked towards the two tents set up by Satoshi. The air was cool now, and although seemingly calm, Akina couldn't help but really worry about the way the mission was turning out. Even more so, the dream – or rather nightmare – she had experienced earlier was really beginning to gnaw at the back of her mind. Although Wakana had put up the necessary barriers to obstruct any sort of way to get into her mind…what if they were already in her mind? It was certainly possible. Gaara on the off hand continually thought about the information given to him prior to being sent out here by the other Kages…and of course by volunteering himself. The other Kages were not blind to see the connection between the two.

"So what changed the mission so much to have you come out here?" Akina asked, breaking his trance. He looked back at her, seeing the small hint of worry in her eyes.

"…We have sources that tell us that the proposed leader of the kyonshi is around here…based on the state Wakana found you in I believe it's true."

He saw her stiffen at the statement of her previous state.

"It was nothing, merely a bad dream." She said tersely. Gaara scoffed, looking over at the trees.

"Like hell it was." He said, dropping the political act. Akina glared at him, setting her hands on her hips in a defiant manner. "You know it was a vision, you know that damn well." He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You know I can take them all down if I had to." She reminded, not letting his glare weaken her in the least. "I'm a bull headed stubborn woman and you know damn well that-"

"You can kill them all, while endangering the only person who can defeat them? The only person who can find your new guardian? Yeah, that's real smart."

"You know…for a man of few words you sure can talk." She saw Gaara's somewhat invisible pupil dilate into a slit.

"Akina." He warned. "I don't care how many of them you can take out; all I want is for you to come back, without a damn contract, not after four years and sure as hell alive."

By now he was towering over her, staring down at her. It was not anger that she was met with but worry. Fear. "I…look…I know you can take care of yourself, hell you've saved me a lot but the thing is that you need to let us protect you."

"Protect me?"

"I've seen some of your visions, Wakana has shown me them whenever she updates me."

"You've be monitoring me?" She asked, venom dripping off her tongue.

"You're emotions are whacked right now, you go from happy to sad to ready to kill and on the battle field you know that's suicide." He reminded. "Look, that…thing…wants you."

Akina was silent now, knowing he was right.

"Tomorrow…odds are there's going to be a battle isn't there?" She asked, quietly, finally letting her hands fall to her sides.

"Maybe…that's why I came out here…to protect you."

"Gaara last time you protected me you almost died…you did die actually."

Gaara smirked, pulling her into a hug.

"And when has that ever stopped me?"

Akina chuckled, hitting his chest.

"You big idiot."

"I don't know what we're going to face tomorrow but I'm going to face it with you."

"For a stoic man you sure can be talkative and sappy."

"Hn." Gaara replied smirking.

"Don't make me hit you."

"Hn."

"Ass."

"Why thank you."

There was silence then; both of them knowing tomorrow would be a hell of a fight.

But it could all be over tomorrow too. War could be stopped. Lives could be saved. They could finally have a normal life.

Gaara could see the pressure she was feeling, more than anyone. The bags under her eyes also pointed to the lack of sleep she was having, almost as if she was suffering from insomnia. His heart wrenched as she looked down, a sure sign of her discomfort.

"Gaara-"

Gaara stuck his hand out, offering it to her.

"I want you to come with me." He said quietly.

"But-"

"It is not a request."

She hesitated a moment but took his hand. Sand swirled up around them and they were gone. Upon feeling her feet meet solid ground, Akina opened her eyes. The rest of the grains feel to their feet as she leaned on Gaara's chest. Her heart stopped as she saw the desolate place that was completely destroyed.

"Why?" She asked, turning on him. "Why did you bring me here?"

Gaara remained silent, taking her by the hand and leading her through the small village.

"I passed by this place, it was destroyed by the very thing we are trying to stop…and this is the result." He began. "But you needed to see this."

"See what? Rubble? Charred bodies, mangled faces and destroyed homes?"

"Yes…but not that…" He said, moving to a small area of ground. He bent down gesturing for her to come over. Akina glared, but followed. Below the rubble and dirt was a small green leaf. Akina blinked, bending down and uncovering it. It was so small yet it survived all of this.

"You've been working so hard on everything, for it to come to a moment like this." She heard him say behind her. Oddly enough she found herself unable to walk away from the green plant. "You've been working so much and finding so little information on this that you've been slowly loosing what makes you, _you_."

"What makes you say that?"

"You think I don't see it? The pain? I do, believe me I do."

"Gaara…" She began, finally getting up from the ground. "Why did you bring me here."

"To pull you out of your hole, just like that flower."

Akina stopped, staring at him.

"Akina…" Gaara said stepping in front of her now. "You are the strongest person I've ever known…you are much stronger than myself and the Kages." Gaara smiled down at her. "I want you to remember the reason why you fight…" He poked at her heart. "In here."

And then he was gone.

Akina stood, feeling the grains of sand move against her as he left her there to think. Somehow she wasn't mad at him and she also knew he was right. She turned back to the small vine of a flower sticking out of the ground.

Akina walked through the village, feeling that lack of life that was so effervescent in this place. She walked for what seemed hours, searching for water for the plant. A cough to her left made her jump, pulling out a kunai immediately.

"No need to worry miss." Came a rickety old man's voice. Akina looked at him, but sensed his lack of intent to kill. She put away her weapon. "You are a kunoichi no?" The man asked, smiling.

Akina nodded slowly.

"A Kumogakure one no doubt, we don't many of those that often."

"Old man…how'd you know it was Kumo?"

"I was a shinobi once myself, used to be part of Konoha."

Akina froze, hearing the name. The man smiled, patting the seat on the pile of wood debris next to him.

"You were a Konoha shinobi?" She asked, sitting down next to him.

"Yes, my son had lived in Konoha with me but met a woman and moved out to Suna."

"Did that hit you hard?"

The man chuckled.

"Of course not! Suna is a great village, in fact the Fourth Kazekage had asked him personally to come to the village! I told my son to leave and be happy!"

Akina smiled.

"I am also from Suna…I…well something happened and I was forced to move to Kumo under a contract…"

"I see…so you are fighting in the war huh?"

"War? Yeah I guess you could call it that…I'm actually the person in charge of one of the divisions." She said, scratching the back of head sheepishly. The old man smiled.

"Really now? What an accomplished young woman you are! If only my granddaughter would have known you!"

"You have a granddaughter in Suna?"

"Of course! I know not of her name but before my son and his wife were passed I received a letter telling of the child and how she was being taken care of and raised with another. I hope she has grown up to be as strong as you."

"Thank you…" She said, feeling a slight nervousness as his granddaughters story was almost like hers.

"So what do you believe in?"

The question caught her off guard.

"What do you mean."

"You are in a time of war per say…no? So what do you believe in? Everyone has something they believe in that makes them fight?"

"I…What about you?"

"I believe in nothing…not the end and not the start, not in peace and not in war."

"So what _do_ you believe in?"

"I believe in the truth in who we are."

"Old man…I don't know what I believe in anymore…but when I do I'll make sure to come back and tell you." Akina said, getting back up off the debris. The man smiled, nodding his head.

"I look forward to it…I'll be here waiting."

"Really? Shouldn't you be getting food or water?"

"I will…just not now."

"Well…here." Akina said, holding out a small bar of food. "Take this as my thanks for talking." The man smiled again, taking the bar.

"Thank you miss."

Akina hesitated, knowing he should know about Konoha.

"Old man…about Konoha…"

"I know…" The smile faded. "I know it was destroyed."

"Well, there are still a few Konoha shinobi alive, the two I know are in Suna so should you ever visit you have your own comrades still around."

"That's nice to know Miss, but you know…Konoha has something that no one else does…the will of fire." The man said, holding out his Konoha protector. "I see that burning within you." The old man fished around in his pocket, pulling out a pendant. It was a magnificent blue crystal. "I wanted to give this to my granddaughter but now that I have met such a person as yourself I want you to have it…to remind you of the fire that burns in your heart."

Akina felt a slow smile come to her face and she nodded. The man got up and placed the pendant around her. She touched it gingerly, feeling it next to the gourd pendant around her neck. She turned around, grinning at the man.

"Now, it is growing late and I'm sure the young man over there is here to take you."

"The young man over there is the man I love, he brought me here to make me remember what I had almost forgotten. But you helped me remember. Thank you."

"I see, well, I hope your journeys bring you to a happy ending." He smiled. "You have my blessings."

"But we're not married."

"Yet."

Akina blushed at the idea, liking it however.

"Thank you again Miss..for spending time with a bag of bones like me."

"You're not a bag of bones old man." She said, touching the pendant again. She began to walk away then, smiling back at him. She turned, walking backwards.

"It's Akina, Haruka Akina!" She yelled to him. The man smiled, recognizing the name immediately. A slow smile came to his wrinkled face as the two disappeared in a swirl of sand.

Akina and Gaara reappeared by the camps.

"Who was that?"

"A traveling shinobi, from Konoha."

"Really?" Gaara asked surprised. Akina nodded, grinning.

"He gave me this, saying it was to remind me of the strength I had forgotten."

Gaara smiled, glad this had worked out. A knock on the head made him flinch.

"And if you EVER leave me in a desolate place like that again I'll knock you into next week!"

"I thought you loved me." He grumbled.

"I do! It's tough love!"

"Tough love my ass!"

"WHAT ASS? YOU DON'T HAVE AN ASS!"

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"

Back by tents, Wakana groaned in annoyance..

I think they're back…" Satoshi said, trying to hide his head in a back pack to reach glorious silence.

"No shit Sherlock." She responded.

"I HAVE AN ASS FOR THE RECORD!"

"I thought the Kazekage was more like the quiet type." He commented through his back pack. Wakana snorted.

"Not when they're together."

Satoshi felt his sister fiddling around in the tent. He pulled is head out of the back pack, looking see what she was doing.

"What are you looking-" She pulled out two frying pans. "Oh boy…what are you going to do?"

"Get some sleep." She said walking out of the tent. A loud bang followed.

"HEY! WHAT THE HELL!" He heard Akina and Gaara hell.

"SHUT. UP." Wakana yelled.

"Jeez all you had to do was ask." He heard Akina say next, followed by a bang. "OWWW!"

Back at the destroyed village the old man sat upon the same debris, looking into the dark sky.

"Haruka…" He said out loud, the smile from before still on his face. "You raised yourself a strong one son…I know you're both proud of her." The man stood up, putting a sack over his back. "She's got you're looks now that I see it Rina, and has your personality to boot!" The old man cackled.

And then like the night that was so fleeting, the old man disappeared into the night, for he would not bee seen again until that faithful day.


	18. Enter: Yumi!

**A/N: Hey guys, just thought I'd change it a bit...dont worry not much...i just think it'd be a hell of a lot better if it was character pov. Let me know what you think!**

**Chapter 17**

Enter: Yumi!

I felt like I was falling, falling into a deep place where there was no escape. Once again I was right where I was before, on the battle field. I growled lowly as the kyonshi surrounded me and then my family, friends and the man in the cloak. It was all too familiar. I fought the kyonshi and the man in the cloak, getting injured in the same places again, and then there was nothing...

I felt someone shaking me a moment later, and I opened my eyes, seeing Gaara above me. The look of worry in his eyes made my heart hurt.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. Truthfully I knew I wasn't but I didn't want to worry him.

"Just a nightmare." I said, sitting up. I looked at my trembling hand, the same one that was grabbed by my mother. It felt all too real.

"Gaara…I…we need to get ready and get a plan going." I said, grabbing my gear and walking out of the ten tot get some room to strap it in. When he walked out he grabbed me, pulling me into a hug I welcomed greatly and kissed my forehead. I felt at home right then and there.

But…I could feel it, they were getting close. Closer to my disciple of sorts and me. They wanted us and I had to find the kid before he did. No matter what. I touched the necklace from the old man I had met the day before, determination filling my being as his words flew through my mind.

I couldn't loose today, I had to fight at my best. Better than with Madara, better than with the Raikage…better than with myself.

"Akina." Gaara's voice brought me out of my thoughts. I looked over at my red head as he handed me a small bag of sand. I nodded, attaching it to my bag that hung on my hip. Wakana and Satoshi walked up to me now, giving me a hug.

We had already discussed the plan before hand, and I knew what I had to do as, for the first time ever, I proudly put my Kumogakure headband around my head. My small bangs hung on the side of it, I caught Gaara's eyes, the slight hurt at what I was wearing but he knew that I was proud to defend this village but I would never abandon Suna….my home.

"I'll see you once I find the kid." I said, walking over to the trees. For a moment I looked back, nodding to them as I said a silent prayer in my head for them to be alive when I returned. I did not want to loose them again.

"Akina…" Gaara ran next to me and I knew it was a sand clone. I stopped in the forest, waiting to hear the message he wanted to tell me. "You had better come back alive."

I smirked, that was his way of saying he loved me. Always was.

"I will always come back to you…you know that."

He said nothing, disappearing into sand.

I smiled at the grains that twirled around me, caressing my cheek.

I traveled fast, letting pure instinct take over as I tried to find the kid I was looking for. My search was over within a day as the village I found had complaints about a small girl who was the town freak. As I walked through the village I couldn't completely ignore the pain that coursed through my head.

"He's close." I whispered to myself as I squeezed my head in pain.

"So you feel him too." I nearly jumped at the small feeble voice that almost immediately made the pain disappear. I turned slowly, laying my eyes on a small girl who could be no more that seven. "The voice in my head says to trust you…my names Yumi."

"Hi Yumi, I'm-"

"Akina." She finished. "I know who you are, Kira-sama tells me about you, how you would find me.

"Kira-sama?"

Looks like my search was over. I smiled at the girl, holding out my hand.

"I will help you, but you have to completely trust-" The girl grabbed my hand, nodding.

"I've already knew to trust you, please take me away before I hurt my village."

My heart went out to the girl at the moment.

"Tell me…do you have a reason to go with me?" It was a random question but I wanted to know.

"I have no family, they were killed, but I do I have someone I hold precious to me. I want to protect her." The girl said, looking back at another older girl, who had to be at least three years older than Yumi. I nodded, understanding.

"He's coming you know…" She said quietly. My attention was brought back to her, looking at her as a sign to continue. She opened her mouth but a rock came flying at her, surprising her and myself as it her in the back, hard. She gasped, feeling the wind knocked out of her.

"FREAK!" I heard the familiar name being called, and my rage got the best of me as I stormed over to the older boys that had threw it at her. But someone beat me to it as the girl she looked at before attacked the boys, yelling at them. I could tell the girl was strong as she knocked them back against a wall, holding a piece of glass up against on of their throats.

"Say that again and I'll kill you." She whispered. Yumi ran over to her friend, grabbing the glass.

"Please stop." Yumi said, making her friend drop the glass. I saw myself in the girl, immediately understanding that I had to do something.

"Yumi-" Her friend began but I stepped in.

"Yumi…come with me." I said, bringing her into a deserted area of the town. "Yumi…I need to speak to Kira. Now please." The girl nodded, sitting on the ground. I felt the air in around us spike in power and a moment later I heard the voice I've been waiting for.

"**It's been quite a while Akina…four years now." **

I nodded.

"What do I do know that I found you?" I asked.

"**Train this girl to fight like you-" **I shook my head as a no. I saw the deadly glare through the girl's eyes.

"She will not grow up to be like me. I will not do such a thing."

"**She has a strong soul, a strong mind and a resolution at such a young age to protect her friends, that's why I chose her." **

I grinded my teeth in anger.

"You saw what they did to her, what they called her. No one deserves that!" I yelled, my anger coming back. "Why can't you just come back into me?" I yelled.

"**I am still in you!" **

I froze.

"What?"

* * *

I heard the screeches, familiar to me as I remembered what the kyonshi sounded like when Akina described them to me. I felt a chill go up my spine as I realized they were heading this way. I looked over to my brother and Gaara. They felt it too…the bloodlust. As the team medic I knew I couldn't be reckless but…with Akina…my…my little sister risking her life to save us again I knew I wouldn't be able to stand back. Especially not when I've lost everything once… I won't loose it all again.

"Wakana." Gaara said my name; I turned back to him, meeting his stare.

"I know…Satoshi stay on your toes."

"Don't worry sis…I won't loose."

And as if on cue the first wave broke through the trees. Anger boiled underneath my skin as the dead bodies, possessed by whatever evil we were facing, as I saw the mangled features of their faces and the emptiness in their eyes. _How could someone do this? _

Gaara's sand shot out in the seconds that they came through the trees, surrounded them as he turned the area into a mini desert. He wasn't going to play with his prey like he usually would…he wanted them dead. I felt my chakra sink to feet and hands, ready to use the strength Tsunade-shishou had taught me to use and I flew forward, attacking with everything I had.

* * *

My mind reeled in confusion when I heard those words.

"What?" I asked, unable to understand what Kira was saying. The small girl merely held up her hand, touching mine and I felt a bolt of energy go through me. I pulled back as if being burned.

"**When you defeated Madara I was sure you had used all my energy but you only used three quarters of it…I am still inside of you." **

"Then why? Why couldn't I block out the crazed guy in cloak who's after her and me?"

"**Because…the man in the cloak in Ikkaku…he's become stronger than I imagined he would and broke apart form his chains in the hell I sent him to."**

I gritted my teeth in anger.

"How in the hell could he have gotten loose?" I finally yelled. Passerby's in the village, poorer folk who lived in some of the shacks watched my outburst at the girl. I ignored their faces, knowing they would never understand.

"**He did…somehow he did and now he's coming after you and ****Yumi."**

"So can't you come back into me so he'd just be after me?" I asked, truthfully not wanting this small girl to have to go through this. I stared at the ground, not wanting to really come to terms with what she was saying. "Is there really no way you can let her go?" I whispered. "If she were older, not a child, then that would be different…"

There was a silence then, and I felt the need to look up at the sky. With I sigh I did so, watching the birds flying above me.

"**There is a way…possibly…" **

My ears perked up at this and I found myself staring intently at Yumi. Kira looked up at me, a shimmer in her purple eyes.

"**You might succeed…or you will both die." **

And just like that I felt like there was no hope. I shook my head.

"I will not endanger this girls life…she's too young-"

"**So were you when you lost your parents." **

I stared at Yumi, well Kira really, but still. Every bone in my body went on edge.

"**This child has determination like you wouldn't believe…she is you, your friends and your enemies all in one. She would die for her friends if she had the chance." **

And then I felt the chakra spike give way and I knew Yumi was back. The brown eyes of the girl looked up at mine.

"I…will do whatever it takes to protect my friends…I have no one left but them."

"Yumi…you know that you might die-"

"I don't care!" She yelled. "I want to protect them as much as you want to protect yours!"

I nodded.

"But…my mission is to bring you back to a safe place…so your friends will be protected as well…come back to Kumo with me and I'll train you, then we can figure out what we can do."

I saw Yumi look back at her village as we left it. Her friends stood there, waving. Once we were far enough in I summoned Kamina. The hawk screeched, looking down at us.

"Kamina…take her to the Raikage and tell him I found her."

"What about you?" The bird asked me.

"I'm going to find them, I will not leave them."

"**Akina!" **I heard Kira call as they lifted off the ground. **"Fight with this!" **Next thing I knew a unfamiliar weapon flew off of Kamina. I grabbed it, twirling it with ease. I felt power surge through me immediately and I recognized it.

It was Kira's staff. The one from legend. I saw them hover above me, and I shook my head, jumping up the trees to toss it back. Yumi caught it, looking down at me curiously.

"My scythe is more than enough."

* * *

I felt the sickening crack of decrepit bone beneath my hands as I punched everyone one in my way down. Looking behind me I saw Satoshi using his demon windmill shuriken technique on a group of them. As we fought on the sand Gaara created I felt my anger still simmering beneath my skin.

Another kyonshi attacked me and with perfect sync I moved out of its way, turned on my heels and used my katana to back slash it across the neck, severing its spinal cord with perfect accuracy. Barbaric yes…but effective.

I smirked, jumping onto a tree branch. Making a few hand signs I shot off a few fire balls towards the group surrounding the trees.

"Sis!" Satoshi called my name and I saw him being attacked by an exceedingly large kyonshi. I grabbed my katana, running over to him and in the process, destroying a few more of the enemy here and there. As I got to him I heard Gaara.

"Sabaku Taisou!" I heard him yell and then the screeching stopped as I stabbed the kyonshi in the back. Twisting my sword in his back I pulled it back out, connecting my fist with the back of its neck. It fell lifelessly to the floor.

"Sis…" Satoshi whispered, standing up. "When did you-"

"Remember those nights when I wasn't around?" He nodded. "I was training with Hibiki…for this."

"Hibiki eh? Of course some of those nights were for other activities no doubt…"

"Shut up." I said, a lit tint of pink on my cheeks now.

"The man's a strong guy, he not one of the heads of Anbu for nothing."

I smirked, nodding as I took another one out.

* * *

I ran as quickly as I could, racing back to our camp ground. No more than a day and a half could have passed since I was last there. I heard the screeching getting closer and I knew there was a fight. I stopped when my feet hit sand, and I realized Gaara had made a make shift desert.

Something was wrong though, something just didn't seem right. I stopped running, grabbing onto my necklace as if it would help me.

"I see your senses are as good as ever."

I froze, knowing exactly who was behind me.

Light swirled around me as I summoned my scythe. The man behind me lurched forward, and then it was scythe against scythe.

"Have you been waiting for me?" I rasped out.

"Relax Akina-chan. I'm only here to give you an invitation." The man said, leaning into my ear. "Six months from now return to the leaf, with Yumi, and your whole army."

"Is that a declaration of war?" I asked, pushing my blade against his dark one.

"That's only if you're ready for defeat by my hands, I swear to you I will show you fear like nothing you have seen before."

"Really now…well…then I'll just have to show up, Ikkaku."

The man smiled.

"Very well, Akina-chan. See you and your army in six months."

And then he was gone. I let my scythe fall from my hand when I knew he was gone. Before it hit the ground it disappeared. I growled lowly, anger getting the best of me. Wrenching the bag of sand of my bag I lifted it up, using my chakra to open it and command it to take me to Gaara.

And then, jus like Ikkaku, I disappeared as well.

* * *

The last kyonshi fell before me, my sand swallowing it whole just like the others. Satoshi and Wakana stood side by side, breathing hard from the fight.

"Gaara…" I heard my name called and I turned around to see Akina appearing in a swirl of sand. She ran over to me and I wrapped my arms around her quickly. Satoshi and Wakana were next to us instantly.

"What happened?" I question immediately.

"I found her, she's going back to Kumo on Kamina so we can train." She said into my shirt. "Gaara…" She whispered. "In six months he's coming back…"

My eyes widened as it clicked immediately.

In six months we were going to war.


	19. A Fullfledged Shinobi?

I hope you guys liek the whole 1st person thing. OHHH and I have a new story coming up soon. its not Naruto or anime in gnereal, ts just kind of.. a story? ...yeah that works.

Chapter 18

In the months that followed I trained Yumi as much as I could and to the extent her current chakra system could handle at her age. As she was now she would be able to hold herself in battle if the time came. She mastered the shadow clone jutsu, creating over five hundred clones with the help of Kira, of course. Along with those jutsu she also mastered transformation, teleportation use of summoning kunai, a trick I learned from Naruto when he was still alive; she also mastered taijutsu, taking hand to hand combat pretty well, it could use some polishing of course but what could you expect form someone so young? As far as her spirit weapon was concerned she could only summon it when she had more than half of her chakra, but that usually wasn't a problem since Kira helped a lot with that.

Yumi's spirit weapon was a tad interesting, unlike the staff I had seen before. The staff belongs to Kira and she was able to summon it because Kira had taken over her psyche when she had not yet found her spirit weapon. We finally accomplished that after the second month as it accidentally came out when sparring with one of the gennin, Raidon, who is also the son of "Lord Yells A lot", also known as Lord Raikage. He really is over emotional sometimes…and loud…

Yumi's spirit weapon was a small katana, perfect for her size. The hilt was dark red, a scorpion tail circling it. The blade was ebony, perfect for concealed attacks. So far she couldn't summon it at will like myself but that's understandable. As I watched her train in these months I really wished I could go easier on her…but I can't. I wished she could have the childhood not many of us had, but it seems like her childhood has already been taken away somewhat.

Secretly I began to research ways to reverse the sealing and bring Kira back into myself. I saw myself in her, I saw so much hidden pain and determination…some might say I just want the power back…but I really want her to have a life. And so far my findings have been almost nothing. I wasn't sure if Kira knew or not about what I was doing, I think she does and I know she won't agree to it but…I still want to try.

But now wasn't the time to think about it. Right now I had to concentrate on her graduation exam. Today she was fighting Raidon, one of the top gennin of the latest class.

If she won then she would be made gennin, that was what I told her. Truth was she was already a gennin, but this was to earn her headbands. One for the joint shinobi army and one for Kumogakure.

They stood on opposite ends of the training field; Yumi didn't look the least bit nervous to me. But I could still see that somewhere inside she was.

"Begin!" I heard the proctor from the academy yell. Raidon came at her with a fast speed, it was quick for someone his age…but what would you expect from the child of the Raikage. I know she wasn't as caught off guard by him this time but she still narrowly dodged his attack. I saw the cocky smile on his face, and the now unsure one on her face.

"Scared?" He yelled from across the field. He was taunting her, getting her angry.

It must've worked too, since her chakra spiked. I was a clear sign of her anger. We all knew she had a temper…so why was he agitating her? Because he knew she was holding back, in fear she might mess up or loose her cool. She moved faster now, engaging in the taijutsu we worked so hard on.

"Come on…you can do this Yumi." I whispered, gripping the branch of the tree I was sitting in.

* * *

I dodged him again, throwing another punch with as much as my small body could do. I worked hard to be able to do this, there was no way I can loose this! All the way through this I hadn't heard a word from Kira-sama, I guess she was seeing how well I could do on my own. I don't know why but I guess she wanted me to do it on my own today. Usually she helped me but now I'm on my own.

He came at my left, I caught it, creating a small pause in our fight as we stared each other down.

"Tell me Yumi…why are you training…why not hide?" He asked me, jumping away as he wrenched his fist from my grasp.

"Because…I have someone to protect." I said, pulling out a kunai. "Come on Rai! Don't hold back!" I urged. I need to prove myself, I have to prove myself! For Kimi! For everyone's that died! I yelled at him, running at him. He scoffed, pulling out a kunai. Metal clanged against metal as my shorter body pushed against his large one in a battle of strength.

"Someone to protect? You'll never get there in that condition." I felt my anger boil under my skin. For someone my age, you could say I acted a lot older than I really was. It was because I grew up, I'm not a kid anymore. Not on the battle field anyway.

Suddenly he kicked me, throwing me back twenty feet. As I skidded against the hard ground Kimi flashed through my head. I stood soon after, my bangs hid my face.

"You just wait…" I said, staring him down now. "I'm going to protect everyone!"

"Let's see you beat me first short stuff!"

He ran at me, using his speed to try to catch me off guard. I began to put the training of the last few months to my strength.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I yelled, summoning fifty clones to surround us both. He was forced to stop. I caught a glimpse of my master then, I saw her smirk at me, nodding her head in approval. Maybe I could really do this!

* * *

"For her to master that at such a young age….its…"

"Amazing?" I finished for Darui, who recently joined the small audience of five. It consisted of two council members, the proctor, Lord Yells A lot, and myself. I looked back over at the battle, watching it intently. "She has more potential than anyone I've seen, but more than that she drives herself to be better…it's why I decided to train her and to not just hide her away like some weapon." I took a sideways glance at Raikage, he didn't seem to catch what I said but I didn't push it. I was still in deep trouble a tad for the stunt I pulled a few months ago when I left the village causing mass hysteria for the shinobi, especially Omoi. I saw Darui smirk at me, nodding his head in agreement.

That's when I sensed a presence behind me, and I looked back to see Gaara, Wakana and Hibiki standing behind us. I gave them a small wave, butterflies in my stomach at the sight of him.

"Early aren't you?" I said as they approached.

"We traveled fast…Hibiki was acting like a child over the excitement of seeing Kumo…" Wakana said, an annoyed look on her face. "We couldn't even stop at my favorite teashop." She complained. I chuckled at her disappointment.

"Well there's a good one down the street…" I suggested. Gaara nodded his hello to me and walked over to where Lord Yells A lot was. The tow stood there silently, watching the battle in earnest.

"Kin…she might become better than you." Darui commented, snickering slightly. I threw a stick at him, hitting directly in the back of the head. I heard Wakana and Hibiki laughing behind me as he rubbed his head in pain.

"She might just do that too…" I said, paying more attention to the fight. I flinched soon after as Raidon landed a kick in her side, flinging her into a near by boulder. She cried out in pain.

"Come on Yumi…" I whispered. As she stood he hit her again, flinging her into the same rock. She cried out again. "Yumi…"

* * *

My back felt like it was on fire when I collided with the boulder a second time. Rai really wasn't holding back this time. My whole body was in pain, it was so bruised and beaten but I didn't care. I stood up slowly, ignoring the pain, and looked over at my master, seeing her worried look. She was worried for me sake. I saw Gaara-sama, he was staring at us, Raikage-sama too. I saw Wakana and Hibiki-san as well and Darui-san. Everyone was watching me…acknowledging me. I looked over at Raidon who stood above me, a smirk on my face.

"What's that face for?"

"Cause you're going to loose." I said, forming another hand sign. I thought to Kira, trying to ask fro her help. That's when I felt the surge of power. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I yelled, using more chakra than before and creating almost double the number of clones as before. The surrounded Rai, the cocky smirk wiped clean off his face. I stole another peak, seeing my masters approval of me. "Hey Rai," I taunted. "What happened to not holding back?"

"S-Shut up!" He replied to me. I grinned at him.

"Let's go."

* * *

I felt the air ripen with chakra, a massive amount of it and I immediately recognized it as partly Kira's. So she finally asked for help. I smirked. At a girl! I thought. I grinned at her as I saw Raidon's reaction. That's when something caught my eye. I saw the silhouette of someone behind her, it wasn't Ikkaku that was for sure. I think I was the only one who saw it since no one else reacted. I squinted trying tog et a better look, that when I saw the familiar spiky yellow hair. I froze, watching as it disappeared when she charged.

"Naruto…" I whispered. I felt something bubbling inside me as I realized how strong she would become. Then I threw my fist in the air, yelling at the top of my lungs.

"YUMI! YOU CAN DO IT!" I yelled. I saw Yumi glance at me as she attacked Raidon.

"Lightning Style! Electric Wave!"

I saw Yumi hit it head on, shocking her completely.

* * *

I used all my chakra, forming more clones than ever before. The first bunch took the brunt of his attack, making them disappear, it shocked me as well. Electricity surged through me, it hurt so much but I ignored it. The smoke form my clones covered us both, I saw his face, surprised to see me standing with what few clones I had left.

"How could you have-"

My clone threw another clone, launching it at him which he presumed was the real me. He grabbed my fist, flipping my clone until it hit the ground hard. That was it! That was my opening! And I took it without hesitation as I used the very last of my chakra and concentrated it into my fist, something I'd been working on the side without my master knowing. Actaully, Wakana-san had been teaching me about it and I decided to give it a try. Everything seemed slower as he turned, trying to block me. I launched my fist at him, hitting him in the stomach. There was a crack as I realized that it worked. I cheered for myself, grinning as he flew back, hitting the boulder I hit before. Dust covered him, and he didn't move. I won. I really won against Rai.

And then he was behind me. I had no chakra left as I spun around to face him, nothing left. He raised his hand to hit me and win. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to come. When I felt his hand ruffling my hair I looked up.

"Not bad Yumi, but you still loose."

For some reason I felt dizzy, then I remembered seeing the ground come up very fast. Next thing I knew was my vision became blurry as I opened my eyes. I looked up and saw Raidon leaning over me, and I felt my face heat up. With some pain I sat up slowly, rubbing my head. Raidon helped me stand, and then grabbed my side, helping my stay standing as well. Wakana-san looked over my wounds that were visible, healing them.

"You're a damn good fighter Yumi." I heard her say to me. I nodded a thank you, giving most of my weight to Raidon. He didn't seem like he was injured too much since I took the harder beating. My master walked up to me, patting my head. I grinned at her, giving her a high five. Raikage-sama walked up, with Gaara-sama next to him. I looked at him warily as he took out a small bundle.

"Congratulations Yumi." He said to me, handing me the bundle. I opened it, gasping at the sight of the Kumogakure headband. I looked back up at Raikage-sama. "You pass."

"But…I thought that if I lost…"

"You're worthy enough to wear the Kumo headband Yumi, you're young but you've got the heart of a true shinobi."

I felt a large grin come to my face. Then I saw Gaara-sama also hold something out to me. Confused, I took it slowly, unfolding the cloth I saw another headband, this time with the sign for shinobi inscribed.

"You are also now a member of the joint shinobi army." Gaara-sama said to me in his really scratchy voice. I nodded to him, tying it around my arm and then my Kumo one around my head.

"And now you make a great reflector!" I heard my master yell in happiness. I twitched in anger as she rested her arm on my head.

"You mean so people will know when trouble's coming sensei?" I responded. I saw Gaara cough slightly, trying to hold laughter in. Everyone else laughed with us, as my sensei glowered in annoyance.

"I'm not trouble!"

"And my hairs really not red." Gaara scoffed. I laughed at his sarcasm when Akina moved to hit him. Once again her plan was foiled by his sand. I looked over at Raidon, grinning at him. He grinned back, ruffling my hair again.

"Gaara! Get your ass over here! Put the sand down! I won't hurt you!" I heard my sensei yell as she tried to grab Gaara. Raikage-sama shook his head at the two. I giggled slightly, this was one of the few times I've really seen the two act their age. It was funny! I looked over at Wakana.

"Are they always like this?" I asked.

Wakana and Hibiki sighed.

"You have no idea." They both said together.

I walked over to Raidon then, asking him if he wanted to grab some ramen. Everyone separated then, walking in their own directions. Raidon and I headed out for some food, Gaara and Akina had disappeared when I looked back again. Wakana, Hibiki and Raikage-sama left as well, and then Darui walked to join us. My body was still in some pain for the day but I really didn't care, I was too happy to let it ruin my day.

* * *

Short but good, I Promise itll get better.


	20. Tragic Ambition

Chapter 19

The day came. The date marked on my calendar, haunting myself from the minute it was set. I was ready to face the man behind the strongest evil I had ever faced, the strongest anyone had ever faced before Kira. It was truly an earth shattering feeling knowing that the fate of the world partly rested in your own hands. Pressure much? Yeah…just a tad.

The army was ready, Gaara and the others having their own divisions. He was the general of the entire army, all of the shinobi under his hand. He looked as overwhelmed as I was. Beneath him was Darui, Shee, Hibiki and Temari. All competent shinobi, Wakana herself was head of the medical squads along with a few others I had not yet known. Ā-sama, along with Onoki and Mizukage-sama, would watch over the armies. Yumi stayed with the Kages, Ā-sama and I deciding it was too dangerous for her, still only a gennin, to go out into battle. It wasn't very hard to figure out she was mad about that. What mattered more right now was keeping her and Kira away from _him. _That's all we wanted…and of course to win this war.

The army was each given three antidotes to the poison should they be attacked and infected by the kyonshi. We could only hope that their poison hadn't changed or else, battle would be sure death. The antidote lasts for up to ten minutes, ample time to defeat a large number of them for any skilled shinobi. We were careful to decide on who was going to be on the joint army, those who were thought to not be able to last long enough were kept in their respective villages as guards. Around Yumi we only kept Raidon and the Kages. Raidon was enough for her protection though. The two of them…well…they were one hell of a team. When they worked together of course…

I sat in the open field where I last saw Ikkaku. It was so silent then, so quite. There was nothing but the sound of my feet in the grass, my breathing and the loud rhythmical thump that was my heart beat. I felt no chakra signatures around me, like I was thrown into a time where only animals ruled the planet. But that's exactly what it was like now. Animal versus Animal…Man versus Man….Light versus Dark. The all too familiar tale of good and evil. This could go only two ways today. Either he dies…

Or we both die.

I grabbed the gourd around my neck, remembering how many times that I promised Gaara I would come back. This time…I don't know if I will.

I remembered the old man that gave me a necklace. The necklace his son was going to give to his wife before they died. His words about finding my meaning to fight this man echoed in my mind. Was I doing it as a host of the sage? Or as a shinobi of the joint army? Or…as myself? I'm not sure. I felt alone right then, like I was falling onto a battle field where I was the only army and everyone I cared about was nowhere. Call it overexageration or whatever, I felt like if I failed we would loose this war and there was no way in hell I can let that happen.

"So you came after all." I heard from behind me. I gripped the gourd once more before letting it fall against my chest. Turning around I met the cloaked figure again, all my fear gone from myself as I met his brown eyes. I couldn't help but notice how human they seemed.

"I did." I responded, fully facing him now. The cloak slowly fell from his face, eventually falling to the ground. He was dressed in black and brown, nothing strapped to his sides. It was odd, he seemed like an ordinary shinobi…but what need for weapons would a demon have?

"You really are foolish…coming to face me by yourself."

I stayed silent, not letting myself for a moment let him gain the upper hand. He would not throw me off guard, no way in hell. Nervousness bubbled underneath me as all my nightmares flashed in my brain. I felt the walls that were in my mind slowly breaking. Weakening. He smiled, the same smile I remembered Yashamaru describing when he read the story. I remembered his face, how he would grin at the end when Kira beat Ikkaku. This will be the same ending as before.

"Call me what you want, I'm here to kill you either way."

"But how can you kill someone who brought back everything you've cherished?"

I froze. What? What is he talking about? He grinned again, holding up his hand. I moved to block an attack but nothing came. Instead I found myself being over taken by darkness. I was falling. I found myself in white space where he appeared. Images swirled around us as I saw the battles that were going on right now. I saw Gaara fighting his father, an army of familiar and not so familiar faces. I couldn't move. I had no idea that this was the extent of the war, the extent of what he could accomplish.

"Surprised?" He said, letting the images slowly disappear. "I thought Kira would have informed you already of my powers."

I glared at him, snarling all my hate towards him as the picture of Gaara flashed before us, tears falling down his face. It was the first time I really saw him cry. It angered me to no end.

"Angry?" He asked me, letting the white space disappear. We were on the field once more and I saw him in the same place as before. "Good."

My chakra picked up as I let it swirl in anger around me. "I've had enough of this." I scoffed; my scythe was in my hand then. I held it straight out, pointing it at him. "I'll cut you down."

He came at me then with his own scythe. Each time they hit it was like a spark of life. Our souls were connecting through a exchange of blows, I felt the pure hatred he had towards Kira, towards myself, towards everyone and everything. He was pure evil.

Acting on pure instinct I grabbed his arm when our scythes collided. I threw him back, taking the opportunity to hit him again. Our scythes connected again and then to our surprise we dropped then, making them fly across the field.

"You are strong." He said, grabbing my fist. I snarled at him, bringing my leg up. He grabbed it but I broke my fist through. Yes! This is my opening! I punched him in abdomen, forcing my leg out of his grasp and immediately kicked him up with my legs. He blocked his face form my kick but was still thrown straight up. I summoned a clone, using it to jump in the air. He blocked my first kick but before he could grab the second one I grabbed his ankle, throwing him into the ground with blinding force. I landed in front of the small crater in the ground. He disappeared then, as I expected he had used a shadow clone.

"Shadow clones? Hiding are we?" I called out, not moving from my place. It was silent once more, like had left. But I knew he didn't. I'm too much of a tempting opponent for him to leave. I thought of Gaara then, what he must be going through to have to fight his father. My blood boiled with anger, how dare he!

"Hiding, that I am most certainly not." I jumped back when I felt his breath on my ear. It was warm, human like. I brought my leg up, twirling around to connect it with his body. But he was gone. I let my guard down or a moment when Gaara came into my head.

"Damn-" The breath was knocked out of me when he appeared in front of me, right before my eyes, and threw me into the ground, crushing his foot on my chest. I saw spots in my vision, the lack of oxygen and pain becoming a lot for me.

"The Akina I had heard so much of seems to have become rusty!" He said, enthusiasm in his voice. "How can an entire army rely on someone as useless as you?" I stayed silent, showing no emotion to what he was saying. "You are nothing special; you are just a weak woman."

"You're right…" I said, staring right at him. I grabbed his ankle. "I'm not special…" I made sure I had a firm grip on it. "Which makes it even better when I kill you." I said, then used my chakra to burn him. It was simple chakra infusion, but it can be used as a weapon if needed. He jumped back, the skin on his ankle charred and dead. No doubt in my mind that it was painful. Good, he deserved it. I breathed in the fresh air quickly, regaining what oxygen was taken from me.

"So you do have a few tricks! Well then...shall we take this seriously?"

"Come on, let me cut you into pieces." I said, letting the pure blood instinct take over. Deep down, even I was afraid of this side of me, the mentally insane side. The Id. It was unconscious, amoral, evil and pure instinct. Everyone had it, everyone. I made a hand sign.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I said, running at him as several clones appeared behind me.

He grinned right back, making his scythe appear in his hand. I already knew there was no point in fighting weapon against weapon when our souls only resonated. There was absolutely no point. Instead I took out a kunai, chakra infusing it, and used it to go head to head with his scythe. The clang of metal sounded throughout the field as we went head to head. My clones surrounded him quickly, wasting not time in covering both of us. I felt one grab the back of my shirt, tossing me out of the pile on.

As I skidded along the ground I saw the clones burst away as he defeated all of them in one hit.

"Die!" He yelled, flying at me with blinding speed. Thinking fast I summoned my scythe, and not a second later we were testing each others resilience again.

"There's no way I'm going to die!" I yelled, pushing with all might against his blade. I let go a second later, falling to the ground so I could swipe him off his feet. He jumped, dodging easily. I smirked, watching from above as my clone came down with her scythe.

"You'll need to do better than that." He said back to me, grabbing my clones leg without so much as a second thought. He threw her straight into me, making us both crash into the forest behind us. My clone disappeared almost instantly, my pain did not though. My back was on fire as it was cut up brutally by the trees and bushes. He was on top of me the next second, scythe pressing up against my neck. "Give up, join me and we can rule this planet." He said. I stared at him, coughing slightly. I felt the sharpness of the blade, the edge that only took a little push to end me.

"Shut up." I spat, kicking sand into his face. He moved back, wiping it away.

"Little wench." He said. "Do you have any idea who I really am? What I can do?"

"I don't care, it is my job to kill you!"

"But if it wasn't…would you still kill me?"

"You have hurt those close to me…those I protect with my life."

"Have I intentionally attacked them…truthfully have I really attacked any of them? You are blinded by your councils and your rules…you have lost sight of what is truly right." He said, lowering his scythe. He raised this hand. "Together we can right all of that! We can be gods!"

I stayed silent. I saw how human he really was. I stood up slowly, letting myself lean on my knees.

"Can't you see? We can be powerful! Nothing can stop us!"

"You poor soul." I said. "You really are blind…" I whispered, standing up fully. He stared back at me defiantly.

"Who are you to call someone blind! You can't even see the truth behind anything-"

"Believe me…I've been there…I know…I was a weapon, I know I still am...for such a time I wanted revenge on them, revenge on Kira for making me the damn Ruranain, revenge on the Raikage for making me leave the one person I loved more than life…"

"Together we can take that revenge! I can help you find the peace you've been wanting! I can give you everything!"

I stared at this man, this so called evil then. I saw what his ambition has done to him.

"You may be able to give anything but you can't give everything…" I replied to him, walking out from the trees. I summoned my scythe holding it up.

"What about your mother and father?" He asked. I froze, looking at his grin. My eyes narrowed dangerously at him. Did he dare bring them back? "I can give you what you've wanted for the longest time…a family…"

This man…this…thing…

I faced him fully, staring at him.

"Ikkaku…" I began, closing my eyes. "There's one thing you haven't accounted for that I'd want." I said.

"And what would that be?" He asked, grinning madly as if he'd one. Even without looking I knew what his face was doing.

"I already have a family. I'm already loved…and that's enough." I disappeared in a flash, using what chakra I had left and came behind him. My answer stunned him but not enough for him to be hit. He spun around grabbing my arms and forcing me to the ground.

"You humans are so stupid." He growled, I felt my wrists cracking from the pressure. The pain made me yelp. "If you don't come with me then I'll just kill you."

"Try as hard as you will I won't loose!" I yelled in his face, smashing my head against his. For the first time I drew blood from him. He stumbled back and I took my final opening, knowing if I didn't do it know I would never do it. I drew my scythe from my chakra and cut him across the chest going through his ribs and lungs. He screamed, grabbing at me. I saw the demon in his eyes then as he realized that he lost. Quickly I grabbed my scythe and brought it straight down his chest, cutting major arteries. He collapsed to the ground before my feet.

"What…how…."

"I told you that I'd cut you down didn't I?" I said, kneeling down in front of him. "You're biggest mistake was fighting for your own selfish wants…I fight for those who have some before me and those who will come after. Surely if you are a demon then you had met Madara Uchiha? He was one that also fell before me for the same reason…you just never learn. Demons are always the same, power is the only they want."

I turned around them, letting him bleed to death. My body went rigid though. I looked down, seeing the kunai from before poking out from my rib cage. I spun back around, seeing him grinning at me.

"You really think I would let you live if I died?"

I coughed blood, seeing my vision blur slightly. I pulled the kunai out, tossing it to the ground. With the strength I had I grabbed a second kunai, wrapping a bomb around it.

"Even if I die you won't survive that wound." He told me as I tossed it at him. His grinning face was the last thing before the explosion.

"Gaara…" I whispered, falling to the ground with a thud. I found a smile coming to my face as I rolled over, looking up at the sky. I noticed how different it looked, the sun gleaming at me. Then I saw the hawk above me, and I closed my eyes as I heard the familiar screech. I let myself fall into darkness then. It was a comforting feeling...

Knowing it was over...it was really over.

忍 -忍- 忍-

**Hey guys! So as you can see, The ruranain chronicles will becoming to an end by next chapter, I know it's a quickish ending but it's dragging out too long. Does anyone know what the smybol above means? That's right..it means shinobi! pretty cool ending the chapter after the biggest battle ne?**

**Oh! AND! I'm currently working on another story for all you ghouls and gohsts fans out there so be on the look out for it! Believe it! **


	21. Ohana

Akina stirred slightly, vision blurring as she opened her eyes to meet the bright sun light.

"Well, well it seems you're finally awake." She heard from behind. Jumping up from her down position she turned, only to meet with some pain in her head. The man behind her chuckled slightly. "Now, now, take it easy." He said, pushing her back down. She stared at him intently, trying to remember him. "Hmm…seems you might have some memory loss as well." He smiled at her and then it came back.

"You!" She exclaimed, jabbing her finger at him, then wincing from the sudden movement. "Oww…" She mumbled.

"Ahh there we go!" He responded, handing her a bowl of rice. "Now eat! You've been out for a few days!"

She blinked at the man, head cocking to the side slightly. "A few…days?" She asked, not fully comprehending it. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Oh man! The army must be going crazy! Wait? What about Ikkaku? Is he dead?" She jumped up, wincing slightly at the pain and ran over to where she saw her bag. Grabbing it she was almost ready to run out the door. The old man watched her curiously.

"Haruka-san, please don't…you'll hurt yourself."

"I'll be fine!"

She threw the door open, and came face to face with Wakana.

"You will sit and rest or so help me…" She warned, grabbing her by the back of her shirt and forcing the stunned woman down. Akina gaped at her, and by gape, literally gape as in mouth open, eyes wide and jaw almost to the floor. Well…almost, not completely.

"Wa..Wakana…"

"No duh. Now are you done giving all of us a heart attack?"

"Us?" She grabbed her head suddenly as pain erupted when someone hit the back of her head. She turned, eye tearing slightly and focused on the old man holding a pan.

"It took us a few hours to heal you so you will do well and sit!" He reprimanded. "Your father would have a heart attack if you kept doing that!" Akina blinked, going rigged immediately. Her nightmare returned for a moment before she shook it off.

"My…father? How did you know him?" She asked, wary of him now. Wakana sighed, sitting down.

"Well…he found you first because of the little necklace you're wearing." She began to explain. "Only people from your family can wear the necklace, sort of like Tsunade-sama's necklace."

"You look like your mother…" The man said in a whisper. "Now that I can get a good look at you, you certainly look like her more than your father, you have his fire though." Akina stared at the man. "I'm not surprised you don't know who I am…I am your grandfather."

"Grandfather…you're my…"

The old man grinned.

"I named you myself!"

"…You…" Akina felt a tear slide down her face as she took in the person before her. "You're my…grandpa…"

"Daichi's the name!" He said, grinning. Akina stood up again slowly, walking over to him. "Hey kid." He said, pulling her into a tight hug. Akina felt more tears fall down her face, completely stunned. After being asleep for many days, then awaking to this news…was unfathomable. Wakana smiled softly as Akina brought her arms up and hugged the man back, crying silently into his shoulder. Wakana stood, walking out of the small shack to jump on Sojiro's back. The bird regarded her silently, saying nothing as they took off. He didn't miss the drop of water fall from above him as they made their way to Suna, where the Raikage and Kazekage awaited for her report.

1 Week Later

Akina stepped on the sands of the desert, wounds having almost healed now. Behind her stood her grandfather, Daichi. Within the last week they had gotten o know each other like grandparent and child should, to the point of her still calling him old man. Although he seemed to hate it, it was a term of endearment for him. Akina winked as she jumped down the dunes backwards, acting like a kid for the first time in many years. Everyone's allowed a little time for that every now and then ne? Next to her also was Yumi, proudly wearing her Kumogakure headband. Upon hearing of Ikkaku's defeat the Raikage, Ay as his name was finally given to his subordinates, gave her shinobi contract to Suna. Hearing the news Akina nearly fainted right on the spot when Yumi delivered it.

Pure happiness radiated through her as she approached Suna's gates. The tall rock formations loomed over them, Daichi smiled as he saw her jump for joy when they were in front of them.

"Well it's about time!" They heard from above them. Akina looked up, grinning at the four people above her on the wall. Temari was the first to jump down, free failing off the wall. Kankuro and Wakana following right after. They ran to in front of her, enveloping her in hugs. She grinned, hugging them back. Then she looked up at the wall, smirking at him.

"He's going to make me go up there and get him isn't he?" She murmured to Temari. She shrugged, not really knowing what he wanted.

"Is that the lad from before?" Daichi asked, slinking next to Akina. Akina nodded. "Who is he again?"

"The Kazeka-"

"Her future husband." Yumi answered, putting her hands behind her head as she walked into the village. "I want some food…se ya!" She called back, leaving them at the gates. Daichi raised a brow at her, his eyes crinkling at her.

"You're using pro-"

"Grandpa! Stop right there!" Akina yelled, jabbing her finger at him.

"I just want to make sure I'm going to get some great grandchildren here is all."

"Pervert!" She yelled. He grinned sheepishly.

She heard a swish behind her suddenly.

"Welcome home." Was whispered in her ear.

Home…yeah that was what it was.

Her home.


End file.
